


I Will Try To Fix You

by lgbtdestiny



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Korvira gives me life, Kuvirasami is an OTP too, OTP Feels, They are perfect together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-03 17:06:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 139,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2858402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lgbtdestiny/pseuds/lgbtdestiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Korvira and Kuvirasami short stories. Both canon and alternate universes will be included. Rated M overall for violence, mature themes, and sexual situations, although I'll state the individual ratings at the beginnings of each one-shot. Title inspired by Coldplay's "Fix You." Basically...I need to get my Korvira and Kuvirasami feels out, and this is how I'll do that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Came Back

Title: **You Came Back**

Note: This collection with _only_ be one-shots for Korvira and Kuvirasami. I can't start a whole story for either of them – as much as I'd like to – since I have my other fics to complete. Plus, I feel like some fluffy and smutty one-shots with a ton of feels are needed since this ship is not that common and it has wedged its way into my life and I've fallen in love with the idea of Kuvira and Korra together. Also, I don't plan on having Korrasami be canon in these one-shots, although I will say if that is otherwise (like, if there are one-sided feelings – Asami for Korra or Kuvira for Korra).

Anyway…I shall recruit all of you onto the Korvira ship! *Insert evil laugh here*

Universe: Canon

Korrasami: Not canon

Summary: Ever since she was arrested, Kuvira was tormented in prison; regular beatings from the other inmates were often on her daily schedule. Her will to go on was fading quickly, until she received a visit from an unexpected guest.

POV: Third person omniscient

Rating: M for violence, implications of psychological torment, and mentions of a suicide attempt

Trigger warnings: Mentions of a suicide attempt

* * *

 

She felt helpless. She couldn't use her bending to protect herself anymore. She cursed the person who had designed this place. Nearly everything was made of wood, and the bars and nails in her jail cell were platinum. She had nothing.

Even the chains that bound her were platinum. They were long enough for her to move around, yet the shackles on her wrists were so rough that they ended up grinding through her skin at one point.

Although, as the days turned into weeks, Kuvira slowly lost any motivation to try and escape. She knew she would be wanted by all the nations, and if anyone found her she would most likely be killed on sight. _I should have backed down when they asked me to,_ she told herself. This was a common thought for Kuvira to have over the last few weeks.

The metal bender always tried to tell herself that she wasn't in her right mind. She was simply trying to accomplish the things she believed in: Unity and balance. She wasn't "evil," "crazy," or a "monster," as the other inmates of the prison liked to call her. At least, Kuvira tried to convince herself she wasn't those things. Because the more time she had to reflect, the more she thought it was true.

_I killed so many innocent people. I betrayed Su. She did nothing but love and care for me, and I turned on her. I almost murdered her and her family, and she'll never forgive me for it._

Yet, the last thought didn't frighten Kuvira as much as she thought it would. She figured she would live the rest of her life surrounded by guilt and regret and that she would never find forgiveness. But she was proven wrong when she was in the Spirit World. When she was with the Avatar.

 _She was the only one who understood me. She was the only one who showed compassion for me._ The thought alone was enough the bring Kuvira to tears, yet she didn't let her tears fall.

But her thoughts were severed as she felt a strong force collide with her head, and she looked up to see another inmate looking back at her, fury in his dark green eyes. But this wasn't the usual guy who beat her up. This was someone new. Either way, Kuvira knew what was coming. _Here we go again._ She sighed as she glared back at the man. She didn't have the energy to sustain another beating. Although she would admit she was getting used to them.

The guards that patrolled the prison never did anything to stop them, and Kuvira figured it was because they hated her so much. _It probably brings them the greatest satisfaction in the world to see me get my face smashed into a wall…_

"It took them all this time to identify my brother as one of the dead," he snarled. "You murdered him…"

Kuvira internally flinched at the word. She hated it whenever someone called her a murderer simply because it only reinforced how true it was. And she didn't want to be reminded.

"I'm sorry," Kuvira said back, although she knew it wouldn't do anything. These people weren't like the Avatar. They weren't forgiving or understanding. They only wanted revenge, and now was their time to get it.

"To hell you are. You don't even care."

He lunged at her, and she evaded his outstretched arms by only a couple inches. Kuvira let out another sigh, just waiting for the moment another prisoner joined in on this, which would leave her outnumbered.

The man lunged at her again, and a small smirk played its way onto Kuvira's lips as she easily dodged him now. He was clearly physically stronger than her, but he was too slow to actually get to her, and that gave Kuvira all the advantage in the world.

This time she let him advance on her, and once he reached out for her, she quickly ducked under his arms and propelled herself upwards, slamming her fist into his chin. The man let out a strained cry from the unexpected contact, and before he could even react, Kuvira had spun around, and she landed the heel of her foot into the middle of his back. He fell to the ground, but Kuvira never got a chance to punch his lights out as she felt a stronger force grab her arms and lock them behind her back.

"Good against one, but defenseless against two," another man breathed out. She tried to break free of his grip, but he was too strong.

"Thought you had me there for a moment," the other man said as he stood up from the ground. "Keep her as still as possible…"

Kuvira didn't bother fighting back anymore. She knew it was pointless. So she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, simply waiting for the pain that was going to come to her.

His first punch landed on her nose, and Kuvira held back a cry that was threatening to escape as she heard it crack. Someone else had already broken her nose last week, and she wasn't given proper medical attention after it happened. So she spent all this time with a constant, throbbing pain shooting through her whole face. It was hard for her to eat, let alone talk, without having the searing pain course through her.

She felt the blood start to leak from her nose.

Next it was her jaw. Luckily, she didn't hear anything snap, yet the pain was still there as the blood came to her mouth as well. It trickled from the corners of her mouth, down her chin, until it eventually dripped onto the ground.

And then he took to her stomach and ribs, and he had a fun time with it too. Almost everyone in the prison knew the injuries Kuvira came with. After all, fighting the Avatar is never easy. She had a fractured nose at the time – not too serious though, and two broken ribs – one on the left and one on the right. So, whenever she got a beating, they always targeted the area.

Blow after blow was landed to her ribs, and Kuvira could feel a strangled cry catch in her throat as the pain coursed through her, lighting her entire torso on fire. She could only hope her ribs weren't damaged any further, although she knew that was probably the case.

After the six or seventh punch – Kuvira had lost count after the third – she was finally dropped onto the ground, and the two men left as if nothing had happened. Her breathing came out short and ragged, and blood continued to drip from her nose and mouth, now creating a small puddle of crimson on the wood floor. Kuvira swore she would pass out any minute now.

She let out a few strained coughs, forcing more blood out of her mouth, and forcing more pain to shoot through her whole body.

She subconsciously ran her fingers over the red marks on her neck. She had tried. Her chains were long enough, but a guard found her before she could end it…

"Prisoner 309," someone said, but Kuvira was too weak to turn her head to look at them. Not that it mattered. They didn't even refer to her by her own name here. "We're taking you back to your cell. Someone is here to see you."

* * *

 

Korra didn't necessarily know why she was here. Maybe she felt obligated to at least see how Kuvira was doing, or maybe she just came because her heart was telling her it was the right thing to do. Either way, she didn't expect the guards at the prison to give her such a hard time about seeing the metal bender.

"She's a highly dangerous inmate," one guard said.

"You honestly think she would try anything now?!" Korra shouted back. She wasn't the kind of person who had a tremendous amount of patience to begin with, so these guards were really getting on her nerves.

"You never know. We had to take special precautions when imprisoning her."

"I don't care! I want to see her, and I'm not leaving until you let me!"

The guard let out an exasperated sigh before he looked back at Korra again. "And why exactly do you want to see someone like her?"

"Someone like her? Excuse me? Don't talk about Kuvira like – oh…nevermind," Korra breathed out, a small groan of frustration escaping her. "And I want to see her simply because I want to see how she's doing."

"She's doing fine, Avatar Korra," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Yeah…like I believe you. Just let me see her."

"Fine…" The guard groaned as he hit a button on his radio. "Is Prisoner 309 back yet?"

"Yes sir. Why?"

"There's someone here to see her."

"Well tell that person they can't."

"It's the Avatar, sir."

"Oh…then let her back. I'll make sure there are guards around the cell."

"No," Korra cut in. "Tell him no guards."

He grudgingly obeyed, and once he got confirmation that it was okay for Korra to see Kuvira, he led the Avatar back through the halls of the prison. It wasn't until they had passed all the cells did Korra narrow her eyes at the guard in front of her.

"Where are you keeping her?"

"This whole place is made so earth and metal benders can't escape. However, like I said, we had to take extreme measures when imprisoning Prisoner 309."

"For goodness sake, her name is _Kuvira_!" Korra yelled.

"Well obviously we don't refer to her as that here."

"You're all unbelievable…" Korra muttered as they stopped in front of a larger jail cell. There were no other prisoners surrounding the cell as they had passed all the other inmates a little ways back, and the cell was so dark Korra could barely make out the figure slumped against the back wall. _Well…it is nearly ten at night…so, yeah…But still, shouldn't they give her a little more light?_ After all, the only illumination in the cell was the moon rays streaming through the platinum bars of the window.

"How long will you be staying?" the guard asked.

"As long as I see fit. Now let me see her," Korra said, her voice more demanding, and the guard quickly unlocked the cell.

"Do you want it kept open, Avatar Korra?"

"Yeah sure," she answered once she stepped into the cell.

"I'll be right down the hall. However, no other guards are around."

Korra nodded and gave the guard a small thanks before she turned her attention back to the cell, and all rational thought abandoned her once her eyes settled on Kuvira.

Her hair was loose and disheveled and not the wavy majestic-ness Korra had always known it to be. She could barely even make out Kuvira's face as well. There was dried blood covering her nose and mouth, and there was some staining her cheeks and neck. She was clutching her ribs, and once Korra moved her eyes back to Kuvira's face, she saw the immense pain the metal bender was in.

"Holy shit…what did they do to you?!" Korra exclaimed as she rushed across the cell, leaning down next to Kuvira as the woman turned her head to make eye contact.

 _Even her eyes,_ Korra thought. The once bright green orbs belonging to Kuvira were now dark and sullen…depressed almost. _She just looks…broken…_

"What are you…doing here?" Kuvira got out, needing to take deep breaths every few words, and she winced as the pain became stronger.

"I'm visiting you smart one." This registered a small grin from Kuvira, no matter how much pain it caused her to do so. Yet before she could form a response, Korra was halfway down the hall already.

"Get me a large jug of water," the Avatar demanded.

"Um…okay…" the guard said, slightly confused yet he went away to take care of Korra's request.

And soon the Avatar was back next to Kuvira, and for some odd reason the older woman felt a little safer. Korra wanted to reach out and hold Kuvira just like she did when they were in the Spirit World, but she was too afraid she would hurt the metal bender.

"Y-You came back…" Kuvira got out, her voice seeming even weaker now.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing," Korra answered, looking down to Kuvira, her eyes filled with empathy instead of pity.

"And how do you think…I'm doing?"

"Not too well I'm assuming."

Their small talk was interrupted by the guard walking into the cell, and he set a large jug of water next to Korra. The Avatar thanked him, and he left with a small nod. Korra turned back to Kuvira, her heart breaking all over again when she saw the woman's pained eyes looking at her.

Korra swiftly bended a large mass of water from the jug and slowly moved it towards Kuvira.

"Wait…wh-what are you…doing?"

"I'm helping you," Korra stated simply as she moved the water over Kuvira's worn down gray prison shirt. "Do you mind if I lift this up for a moment?" Korra asked, motioning to the metal bender's shirt.

"Depends…" Kuvira rasped out.

"It'll make the healing process go faster."

"Oh…then I guess…it's okay."

Korra nodded and slowly pushed Kuvira's shirt up, trying to be as gentle as possible, and her breath caught in her throat once she saw the dark purple and blue bruises almost completely covering Kuvira's abdomen.

"How can you even breathe?" Korra asked as she moved the water over Kuvira's stomach.

"It's rough…" the older woman got out in response. "This won't hurt, right?"

"Just the first few seconds, but it'll quickly ease the pain. It'll help heal your wounds," Korra assured. "How are your ribs?"

"They'll start healing but…the guys just…beat them up again. So…they're still broken…" Kuvira said back.

" _What?!"_ Korra yelled, accidentally freezing the water and dropping it onto Kuvira's chest. And for a rare moment in her life, Kuvira let out a strangled scream of pain as she fell onto the ground clutching at her chest.

Korra was in too much shock at the fact that they didn't even give her proper medical attention for her wounds. And another hand of anguish pulled at her heart when Kuvira basically admitted the other inmates were beating her up. Korra was snapped out of her daze as another round of tormented cries filled the jail cell, and her eyes widened in guilt once she realized she had hurt Kuvira.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Korra said, putting her arms around Kuvira's waist and pulling the broken girl back into a sitting position, not caring at this point that she was causing Kuvira more pain. She needed her upright if she wanted to heal the metal bender.

However, Korra couldn't pull away, and she found the reason behind that being that Kuvira had locked her arms around her shoulders. For a moment, Korra was nervous that Kuvira was trying to harm her in some way, but that feeling quickly passed once she heard soft cries coming from the girl beneath her, yet no tears escaped Kuvira's eyes.

They were cries of pain, and Korra could tell they were only causing Kuvira even _more_ pain. The Avatar kept her movements slow as she unfroze the water and positioned it back over Kuvira's torso.

"It'll help…trust me, okay?" Korra said softly.

"O-Okay…" Kuvira managed to get out in between her sharp breaths, still struggling to take in air.

Korra moved her hand in a slow, circular motion as she kept her other arm around Kuvira still. The water glowed softly at first, and quickly intensified as the healing process began. Kuvira let out a small, strained cry of initial pain, but she soon relaxed as a soothing sensation washed over her. The water felt surprisingly warm over her skin, and it sent tiny, calming vibrations through her abdomen and chest.

"This will help with the bruises," Korra said, drawing Kuvira out of her moment of bliss just enough so she could focus on the Avatar's voice. "Your ribs, however, will take some time…multiple healing sessions before they'll be back to full strength."

"Just…do the best you can with them," Kuvira answered, closing her eyes as she tilted her head against Korra's chest.

Korra smiled at this, and for some odd reason she felt her heart beating a little harder from the action. She held Kuvira a little tighter as she continued the healing process for a couple minutes longer, and she felt as if she never wanted to let the metal bender go.

And soon the water's glow faded as Korra bended it back into the jug. Kuvira still kept her eyes closed as a warmth filled her chest and her mind began to drift away. _Is this what it's like to fall asleep?_ Kuvira asked herself, for she hadn't known a good night's sleep ever since she arrived at the prison.

Korra continued to hold Kuvira, and she took out a small cloth from her bag and wet it in the water. She splashed some of the water onto Kuvira's face to help loosen up the dried blood, which caused the older woman to open her eyes with a start.

"Wha-ow! Fuck! Ow!" Kuvira exclaimed as the pain shot through her face, and she had to resist holding her nose, since she knew that would only make it worse.

"Crap…Sorry! I just – I want to get this blood off your face so I can heal your nose," Korra said, her tone soft as Kuvira pushed herself upright against the wall again.

"I think you gave me a heart attack instead," Kuvira deadpanned, her voice a little less raspy as she could breathe more easily now that a big chunk of the pain in her torso was gone.

Korra tried to hold back a laugh, but she failed and it came out as a strained snort instead.

"What kind of sound was that?" Kuvira asked, raising an eyebrow at the Avatar.

 _That thing she does with her eyebrows…damn…wait, what?_ Korra quickly pushed the thought away as she held the wet cloth out to Kuvira.

"Not sure… Anyway, I'll try combining the healing process as I wipe the blood off your face so I don't hurt you that much."

"Why can't I just wash off the blood while you heal my face?" Kuvira returned, and Korra could sense a slight hint of playfulness in the metal bender's voice.

"Oh…yeah, that works too!" Korra handed the cloth to Kuvira before she bended a smaller blob of water out of the jug, and she held it over Kuvira's nose. The older woman closed her eyes, although a small grin remained on her face.

"I feel like this would appear very strange if someone walked past us right now," Kuvira commented as she gently moved the cloth across her cheeks and mouth, the dried blood slowly coming off her skin.

"If they haven't seen a water bender heal someone like this, then yes, it would look very strange," Korra affirmed, this time letting a small laugh pass her lips as the water's glow brightened. "But…are you hurting anywhere right now?"

"Not as much…" Kuvira mumbled, the same comforting warmth spreading across her face now. Soon, she had wiped all the blood from her face, and she heard Korra take in a sharp breath as she lowered the cloth onto the ground.

Kuvira snapped her eyes open, her crystal green eyes meeting the Avatar's warm blue ones. Korra bended the water back into the jug, and then they just sat there, looking at each other as if nothing else in the world mattered in that moment.

However, Kuvira felt herself growing increasingly awkward since she had never truly been this close to another person for as long as she could remember. Sure there was Su and her family after they took her in. Then there was Baatar Jr., but she never felt a real connection with him. And now there was Korra; she was someone who really understood her and actually made Kuvira feel like she belonged somewhere in the world.

And the thing that scared Kuvira the most about this was that she had interacted with Korra on a level other than trying to kill her only once before. And yet, in that short time in the Spirit World with her, Kuvira felt as if she had never been closer to anyone before.

_Well, they say you know your enemies the best._

But were they really enemies now?

"Uh…so…" Kuvira started, trying to distract herself from noticing how close she actually was to Korra. "Why did you just do that for me?"

"You were in pain," Korra said softly, her voice cracking a little, and Kuvira noticed tears filling the Avatar's eyes.

"So? Last time I checked, no one cared if I was in pain or not," Kuvira snapped, and she wasn't fully aware of her tone until she saw the hurt flash across Korra's eyes. "Shit…I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to jump at you…"

"No, it's fine. I'm just trying to understand you more."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Korra sighed and shifted her position so she was leaning against the wooden wall next to Kuvira, and the older woman sensed the same awkward feeling passing through her as their shoulders brushed ever so slightly.

"Why did your parents give you up?" Korra asked, her voice quiet and small as she avoided looking at Kuvira.

Kuvira's lips thinned into a straight line. The only other person who knew why she was abandoned was Su. _Am I really ready to tell Korra? Is this crossing some sort of line? Well…we both know each other's greatest weaknesses now, so I guess I really have nothing to lose at this point._

"They were hit by a hard economical time. They could barely afford to put food on the table every night. They wanted to pull themselves out of that depression, and the only way to do that was to get rid of the things that drained what little money they had…and that thing was me…" Kuvira said, her voice soft as well yet it contained no emotion.

"They left Zao Fu in hopes of finding a better life, and they left me behind with only the clothes on my back and a small amount of money that didn't even last me a week. I managed for that long without anyone becoming suspicious, until a patrolling guard came up to me one day and asked why my parents were never with me. So, being the eight year-old that I was, I told him my parents left and they weren't coming back.

"He immediately brought me to Su. I was frightened, since I knew she was highly respected around the city of course. But she responded by letting me stay with her. She gave me clothes and food, and then she offered to take me in permanently. And of course, I was only eight, so I accepted. Even though I never felt like a complete part of her family since I was employed as a guard, it was still nice to know I had people who cared about me again. And now…I'm here…" Kuvira's voice faltered a little as she gestured to the jail cell, and she turned her head, looking intently at Korra. "I betrayed her and her family and almost killed all of them…"

"But she loved you," Korra said back, a hopeful smile on her face. "She cared for you. She taught you how to metal bend when your own parents wouldn't do that! She wanted the best for you, and - ,"

"Are you done making me feel worse about myself?" Kuvira interrupted, her eyes narrowing slightly at the Avatar. "I already know she'll never forgive me for what I did, and she's right not to."

"Don't say that Kuvira." Korra paused as she looked back at the older woman, and eventually Kuvira's eyes softened again. "Su isn't the kind of person who doesn't forgive. It'll take some time, but she'll come around. But, for what it's worth…I forgive you."

"What? Why would you even say that? Are you just trying to make me feel better now? Are you - ,"

"No, I mean it!" Korra exclaimed, her voice rising slightly as her tone became somewhat desperate.

"After everything I did to you, you can honestly forgive me? I killed your friend's dad! I hurt everyone you were close to one way or another! And you're just willing to forget all of that and - ,"

"It's not forgetting!" Korra cut in again.

"What?"

"Forgiving…it isn't forgetting. I can't forget the pain you caused Asami when you killed her dad. I can't forget the physical and mental torment you put my friends through. But what I _can_ do is let go of the hate," Korra said, her voice soft again as her eyes met Kuvira's, and the Avatar felt another tug at her heart, the same one she felt when she saw Kuvira looking so broken and the same one she felt when Kuvira held onto her.

"I hated you for the longest time," Korra continued. "I wanted you gone, and I didn't want anything to do with you after that happened." Kuvira flinched at Korra's words as they brought back the memories of her parents abandoning her. "But when I saw you lying on the ground after your canon went out of control…something changed."

"What are you talking about?" Kuvira was so confused right now. Not to mention she also felt even more awkward now that she couldn't decipher the look in Korra's eyes. She was always good at reading people's expressions, but now she really didn't know. But Korra looked back at her not just with affection…but with something more, and it frightened Kuvira that she did not know what it was.

"When that spirit blast was coming towards you, you knew you didn't have enough time to get out of the way. I thought it was weird at first…I wanted you gone yet there I was saving your life. But in that split second I saw you lying there, I saw myself."

"Yes, you told me."

"No…it was different. I saw the way you looked at that canon. You were afraid. You were afraid because you didn't want to die. And your expression what the same one on my face when I looked at Zaheer. He was killing me, and I never thought someone actually had that power over me. But all I knew was that I didn't want to die like that. I couldn't just sit by and watch you get blown to bits right in front of me…I couldn't live with myself if I did."

"So it was just to make you feel better about yourself then?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow, and Korra couldn't stop the small blush that came to her cheeks, and she didn't know why she was blushing either.

"N-No…something in me wanted to save you. And when we got into the Spirit World I knew why I did it. And it was because of exactly what I said: I see a lot of myself in you Kuvira. I also knew that your intentions were good, but you were going about them in the wrong ways."

"I think I've figured that out Avatar. Thanks for reminding me," Kuvira said, a small grin on her face as she casted a side glance over to Korra.

"Still…I also thought you deserved forgiveness. And like I said, it's not forgetting about what you did; it's about letting go of any hate I held for you," Korra replied, a soft smile gracing her lips as their eyes met again.

Kuvira, for a rare moment in her life, was at a loss for words. She never thought she would gain anyone's forgiveness let alone the Avatar's. But honestly, it was all she needed. She felt as if she had a little more closure now and that maybe she might pull herself out of whatever darkness life had thrown her into.

"I um…uh, thanks." She stumbled over her words momentarily before she got the 'thanks' out quickly, and she looked away from Korra as she felt her cheeks heat up.

"Of course," Korra said kindly, and soon Kuvira felt a hand on her shoulder. "How much do they hurt you?" she whispered soon after, and she gently ran her thumb across a bruise on Kuvira's cheek. The older woman was glad it was dark in her cell, otherwise the Avatar would have seen her blush grow stronger.

"I'm used to it," Kuvira grumbled.

"But you're still in pain. My healing abilities can only help so much right now."

"But you said you could heal me fully…"

"I can, but it will take some time. Your ribs are damaged badly…so is your nose," Korra said.

"They beat me up. What more is there to it?"

"Well, there's the fact that I care about you and I don't want anyone to hurt you anymore."

"Why do you care about me so much? All I've done is cause you pain and yet you came back for me…" Kuvira said, her voice faltering slightly as she looked back at Korra.

"I don't think I'll ever know the whole reason. I guess part of it is because you've been broken before in your life, and I don't want that to happen again."

And Kuvira was even more startled when she felt warm hands on her own, and it took her a few moments to realize that Korra had laced their fingers together.

"Why do they keep you in chains?"

Kuvira shrugged her shoulders. Even she didn't know. There was nothing she could do to escape. "I guess it's just to make them feel better…more secure in a way."

Korra nodded, and when she looked back up at Kuvira, she noticed the red marks and scratches on the metal bender's neck. She could make out the faint pattern of the chains, and her eyes instantly welled with tears. Kuvira followed Korra's line of sight, and she let go of the Avatar's hands and quickly brought her own up, trying to cover her neck.

"Kuvira…" Korra said softly, her voice cracking as she pushed Kuvira's hands away. "Did you…?"

Kuvira didn't know what to say again, and she let Korra place her soft hands on her neck. It was weird for Kuvira, having someone this close to her for such an extended period of time. And it was even weirder that she was letting Korra touch her like this. It was strange…and yet it was oddly intimate if Kuvira dared admit it to herself.

"Why?" Korra's voice brought the metal bender out of her daze, and she was met with blue eyes filled with sadness and…hurt? _Why would she feel hurt about this?_

"The guilt. The regret. The pain. It was all too much for me at the time…" Kuvira whispered, her eyes never leaving Korra's. "When they threw me in here I really had time to think about what I did and what you said to me in the Spirit World. I realized how horrible my actions were, and I hated myself for it." Kuvira didn't stop the movement of Korra's fingers as they lightly ran across her neck still. There was something comforting about the motion, and true comfort was something Kuvira rarely felt in her life.

"It didn't matter," Kuvira continued. "Ninety percent of the nations wanted me dead anyway, so I figured I'd do their job for them. Besides, after what I - ,"

She was cut short when she realized Korra had been crying this whole time.

"Wh-Why are you crying Korra?" Kuvira asked a little hesitantly.

Korra took her time responding, because even _she_ didn't know why she was crying. Although, the Avatar felt that she had formed something along the lines of a friendship with Kuvira, but there was another feeling she couldn't quite decipher. And it scared Korra.

"Because I care about you!" Korra got out, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, and within a few moments the tears stopped falling down her cheeks. "I don't want you feeling like you're worthless and that you mean nothing to everyone! I know it'll sound crazy for me to say this now, but you mean something to me. You're _important_ to me _._ "

And Kuvira's heart nearly burst right out of her chest at Korra's words. She tried to get words out. She tried to say something, _anything,_ to the Avatar, but all words and thoughts failed her. And then she put her arms around Korra's waist, buried her face into the younger girl's shoulder, and she cried.

It was a strange feeling for Kuvira. She rarely cried when she was a kid, and after her parents gave her up she learned to simply suck up her emotions and deal with the pain of being rejected all the time. But now – now she was being _accepted_. Korra was letting her in more than Su ever had, more than _anyone else_ in her whole life had. Korra was giving her the support and comfort she needed to go on. She was silently saying _'I'm here for you Kuvira.'_ And it was the best feeling in the world for the metal bender.

"Wait…why are _you_ crying now?" Korra asked, her voice still soft, yet it was lighter as she put her arms around Kuvira's shoulders in return.

"Your-You're the first person in my life to tell me that I'm im-important to them…"

And finally Korra realized what the feeling inside her was. Ever since her fight with Kuvira, she would always stay up at night thinking about what was said between them until she was too tired to think about it anymore. Even then, she would find her thoughts randomly drifting away to the metal bender during the day.

The Avatar wondered why Kuvira had this effect on her. When they were in the Spirit World and Korra reasoned with Kuvira, she felt as if she had a chance at friendship with her. But now, as she held Kuvira – the older girl still crying in her arms, Korra felt her heart beat faster again, and it frightened her more than anything to even think about it, but she couldn't deny it anymore.

At first she thought it was too soon. After all, throughout the whole ordeal with Kuvira, she had only talked with the woman for what…and grand total of fifteen minutes at most? Probably not even that much. Yet, Korra instantly felt a connection with Kuvira in the Spirit World. It was the moment the metal bender fell into her arms – quite literally – that Korra knew there was something between them.

They bonded over their common feelings of being afraid and getting hurt by others or themselves even when they were trying to do the right thing. Kuvira denied it at first, but once Korra started talking to the young – and former – dictator, she saw Kuvira's eyes soften. Korra knew that Kuvira understood her words. She knew the metal bender realized that what she had done wasn't right. She was able to get through to Kuvira, and it was all because they shared a connection between each other they never knew was there until that moment.

"K-Korra?" Kuvira opened her eyes – her dark green orbs still glassy with tears – when she felt the Avatar getting closer to her.

But Korra pushed forward – she was always the one to dive headfirst into her feelings. She was stubborn that way. And within a split second their lips were joined.

Kuvira ignored the slight pain shooting through her face at the sudden contact, and she allowed her eyes to close. She had never felt like this just from a kiss. When Baatar Jr. had kissed her, she never felt anything behind it. But this…Kuvira could literally _feel_ the passion Korra was putting into it. The Avatar's hands now rested comfortably on Kuvira's shoulders, and the metal bender tightened her grip on Korra's waist in response.

But the kiss ended as quickly as Kuvira felt it started, and Korra pulled away abruptly, her eyes wide in shock and…embarrassment?

"I-I'm sorry," Korra stammered out, her cheeks flaming as she let go of Kuvira and quickly grabbed her bag and the jug of water.

"You don't have to apologi - ,"

"No, I do. I-I shouldn't have done that. I probably…freaked you out or something. So uh, I'm just gonna go now and get my thoughts sorted out because IthinkI'minlovewithyou and yeah…" Kuvira barely heard the last of Korra's words because they were so rushed, but she felt her heart soar with happiness once they were spoken.

But before Kuvira could say anything in return, Korra was gone.

The metal bender looked after the Avatar with longing eyes though. She didn't quite know what to make of that whole ordeal, but there was one thing she could sort out of it for sure.

"I love you too…" Kuvira whispered.

And then she was alone again.

But she knew Korra would come back.


	2. I Feel...Wicked

Title: I Feel…Wicked

Universe: AU – Kuvira and Korra are in a musical together…in which Kuvira still has conflicted feelings about Korra while Korra, on the other hand, is madly in love with Kuvira.

Korrasami: Not canon

Summary: Kuvira and Korra both star in the hit Broadway musical, Wicked.Kuvira has the role of Elphaba, and Korra has the role of Nessa. One night Korra finds Kuvira practicing her part for _As Long As You're Mine._ Noticing that Kuvira is struggling with learning her part without the counterpart of Fiyero (played by Bolin) there for her, Korra decides to step in and help her stage partner.

Rating: T for brief language

POV: Third person omniscient

 

* * *

 

**A/N:** **I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU GO WATCH A VIDEO OF AN "AS LONG AS YOU'RE MINE" PERFORMANCE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY INTIMATE AND THEN YOU CAN REALLY PICTURE KUVIRA AND KORRA DOING THE SCENE AND OMF IT'S A WONDERFUL IMAGE TO THINK ABOUT. ALSO, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT** _**WICKED** _ **IS THEN BOO YOU WHORE BUT NO SERIOUSLY AT LEAST GET SOME BACKGROUND ON THE MUSICAL SO YOU KNOW WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE OKAY? OKAY.**

* * *

 

The music was in her head. She could pinpoint exactly when a different instrument part was about to come in. Yet…the timing for _her_ singing parts was off. Kuvira couldn't figure out why either. She never had a problem with her timing whenever she was practicing one of her other songs. Although…maybe it was because this song was a duet.

_Well…technically Bolin sings a whole verse by himself. But still, I always screw up the timing of the words he sings and how long he holds some of his notes._

So she started the song over again. Her voice echoed through the empty theatre. Kuvira would often practice in here rather than her apartment. She thought the sound was better. And plus, she would always imagine a sold-out audience in front of her. She had to admit: Sometimes singing the part of an iconic character in the theatre world was nerve wracking.

She never thought she would make it this far in her career. Of course, starring on Broadway was a big deal, and she had started by playing only a minor character in Cabaret. But miraculously, she was noticed by a co-producer at one of her performances. And now, here she was, playing the lead role as Elphaba in Wicked.

At first, Kuvira didn't think she had the vocal talent to hit some of the notes in the songs, but with plenty of training, she was now able to belt out the high – and long – notes such as the ones in 'The Wizard and I' and 'Defying Gravity.'

And yet again, Kuvira's thoughts got the best of her, causing her to screw up the words of the song. The raven haired girl let out a long groan of frustration as she stopped moving across the stage – she found that dancing while she sang helped her concentrate…but obviously that wasn't the case now.

"You okay?"

Kuvira jumped at the unexpected voice. _I thought I was the only one here. Well shit…this is embarrassing._ She turned around and saw one of her cast mates, Korra. The younger girl played Nessa, which was Elphaba's younger sister in the show. Kuvira was surprised she got the role since she thought Korra's hair was much too short for the character. Well…the design team quickly fixed that with a crap ton of extensions whenever they performed.

"I thought you went home?" Kuvira got out, raising an eyebrow at Korra.

"Yeah well…I forgot my sheet music. I was gonna practice my part back at my place," the tan skinned girl replied.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Um, again…are you okay?"

"Wha- oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to get my part straightened out," Kuvira said, swinging her arms awkwardly at her sides.

"Which one?"

"As Long As You're Mine."

"Oh…well, that one's a duet so…shouldn't you have a partner for it?"

"Yeah well, Bolin isn't really here right now," Kuvira deadpanned.

"Well duh," Korra said, a small grin playing its way onto her lips. "Want me to sing his part?"

"Do you know the notes?"

"Pssh…well enough for what you're trying to accomplish." Korra gave a dismissive wave of her hand as she set her bag down on the stage floor.

Kuvira eyed the younger girl as she took her shoes off. Kuvira wasn't necessarily sure what she thought of Korra, but she considered the girl her friend. After all, they were cast mates and their characters shared some stage time with each other. Plus, they had been on the show for nearly four weeks, so they had some time to get to know each other.

"We don't have to dance in this song, right?" Korra asked as she walked over to Kuvira.

Korra had noticed that Kuvira was only wearing a tank top and black gym shorts, and she could tell the older girl had been dancing by the thin line of sweat on her forehead. She hoped they weren't dancing though…she was wearing baggy sweatpants. Not necessarily the best attire for that sort of thing.

"No. We're actually kneeling on the floor the whole time."

"Ew. Doesn't that – I don't know – hurt your knees or something after so many times?"

Kuvira couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her. "You get used to it. Although since this is your first and probably only time doing this, I'm sure you'll have bruises on your knees tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it. So…what exactly are we doing?"

"We'd be over here in an actual performance," Kuvira said, taking Korra's hands in her own and pulling the younger girl over to the other side of the stage.

Korra was surprised by the sudden contact with Kuvira, and she had to remind herself how to walk once the older girl led her to the specific area of the stage.

Kuvira dropped down onto her knees, letting out a small sigh in the process as Korra followed suit shortly after. The older girl tugged at the hem of her gray tank-top and looked away from Korra for a short moment. She didn't know why she was feeling nervous all of a sudden, but she could feel her body heating up once she looked back to the blue eyes in front of her.

"You know, you really don't have to stay. It's already past eleven," Kuvira commented. "Plus, don't you have a dog to feed?"

"Well…don't be so happy about my presence," Korra deadpanned, but a goofy smile broke out on her face only seconds later.

"I'm just saying…it's late, and I don't want to keep you here if you don't want to."

_No bby I wanna be here. I wanna be anywhere you are,_ Korra thought, mentally slapping herself right after. _Ugh, I have it bad…this is a problem._

"Trust me Kuvira, I want to do this. I don't know, you just seemed frustrated when I saw you. So I figured I should help you out."

"Yeah. It's kind of hard to keep track of Fiyero's part when Bolin isn't here to sing it."

"Well…that's why I'm here!" Korra said, giving Kuvira a soft smile, and Kuvira noticed the way Korra's stunning blue eyes lit up when she did.

"Um, thanks. I'll sing the intro music, and…my part is first, so I'll - ,"

"Kuvira, I know how the song goes. I'm not that oblivious to your parts. They're kind of hard to miss," Korra cut in.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it's just that, uh…you have a beautiful voice so it's noticeable when you sing because your voice is like, super amazing and I love when you sing and…I just said the same thing twice. But I think you get the message. In fact, I love your voice in general, like when you talk and stuff and wow okay, I'm rambling and making things awkward. And…this is awkward now. N-Not saying that you're awkward. It's just…I'm awkward and you're gorgeous…wait, what?"

Korra instantly dropped her face into her hands, and she groaned out in embarrassment as she felt her face being lit on fire. _Ughhh…why did I just screw this up? I basically ruined any chance I had with her. I mean, not that I even_ had _a chance to begin with…_

A dorky grin came to Kuvira's face as a soft chuckle escaped her. She couldn't help but admit that Korra was absolutely adorable. And she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud yet, but she thought Korra was gorgeous as well. _Wait, what?_ Now it was Kuvira's turn for her mind to become complete mush.

A few days after they began working with each other, Kuvira always felt this pull towards Korra. She originally thought it was friendship, which it was for quite some time. However, Kuvira quickly began having stronger feelings glue to her mind – and dare she say her heart – the more time she spent with Korra. At some points she even thought she was developing a crush on the younger girl.

"So…the song…" Kuvira breathed out, shaking her head slightly, ridding her mind of the thought for the moment.

Korra took notice of the way Kuvira's hair framed her face and swayed gracefully with her every movement. She liked Kuvira's hair down, and she wondered why the older girl didn't wear it down more often. Usually when she saw her, her hair was either in a braid down her back or a loose bun on the back of her head.

Korra was snapped out of her daze when she felt a coldness press against both sides of her neck, and she let out a startled yelp before realizing it was Kuvira's hands.

"Oh shit…sorry," Kuvira mumbled, instantly taking her hands away.

"No, it's fine. Really. I was just startled is all."

"Okay. I was just – it's how it is during the song so…But if it m-makes you uncomfortable I can just not do it."

"You can. I don't mind," Korra said. _Great…way to sound desperate._

Kuvira nodded and brought her hands up again, this time resting them on Korra's shoulders, and Korra rested her own hands loosely on Kuvira's waist in return. Kuvira couldn't make eye contact with the younger girl yet. There was something about this that felt intimate in a way. And…Kuvira liked it.

Kuvira looked back up to Korra after a few seconds once she started humming the opening tune to the song, and Korra's face instantly lit up once the older girl began singing.

" _Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight._

" _I need help believing you're with me tonight…"_

Kuvira pressed herself closer to Korra, and she now draped her arms over Korra's shoulders, their hips and torsos meeting as well for a short moment as Kuvira started her next verse.

" _My wildest dreamings, could not foresee,_

" _Lying beside you, with you wanting me…"_

And then they were pressed against each other again. Korra couldn't help the intense blush that spread across her face. But Kuvira thought nothing of the actions. She had done these movements so many times during rehearsals and performances that now they simply came naturally.

But Kuvira's hand on the back of her head while the other held the back of her neck did not fly over Korra's mind so easily; and her breath caught in her throat when she realized just how _close_ their faces were once Kuvira went into the chorus.

" _But just for this moment, as long as you're mine,_

" _I've lost all resistance, and crossed some borderline…"_

Their lips were so close, _so close_ that Korra nearly interrupted the song to close the distance between them, which wasn't much at this point. But Kuvira pulled away, and Korra almost whined in disappointment.

" _And if it turns out, it's over too fast…"_

_Damn, when she hits that soft yet high note,_ Korra thought.

" _I'll make every last moment last,_

" _As long as you're mine…"_

Kuvira wasn't necessarily paying attention to just _how_ intimate the song really was as she pulled Korra against her again, and she felt the younger girl wrap her arms around her waist now as she hummed the small tune again until it was Fiyero's – well, Korra's, in this case – part to sing. Kuvira almost sighed in relief when Korra started singing; she was happy she knew the part, and she was also happy to hear Korra's beautiful voice fill the theatre.

" _Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise,_

" _But you've got me seeing through different eyes._

" _Somehow I've fallen under your spell,_

" _And somehow I'm feeling, it's up that I fell…"_

Kuvira pulled away again so she could look back at Korra, and their eyes met with intensity and passion as they sang together.

" _Every moment, as long as you're mine,_

" _I'll wake up my body,_

" _And make up for lost time…"_

Their voices mixed effortlessly and perfectly, and Kuvira smiled encouragingly at Korra once it was Fiyero's part alone for the moment.

" _Say there's no future,_

" _For us as a pair…"_

Kuvira almost forgot to come into the duet as Korra hit the last note of the verse. _Gosh, her voice is so beautiful. If she sang to me every day like this then I'd be happy for the rest of my life. Wait…focus Kuvira!_

" _And though I may know, I don't care…_

" _But just for this moment, as long as you're mine,_

" _Come be how you want to,_

" _And see how bright we shine._

" _Borrow the moonlight,_

" _Until it is through._

" _And know, I'll be here, holding you._

" _As long as you're mine…"_

Kuvira kept them at a distance close enough to keep the intimacy of the song, yet far enough so she could still look into Korra's eyes, and the older girl smirked as Korra began the spoken words, the last verses of the song.

"What is it?"

Kuvira sighed as she rested their forehead together.

"It's just…for the first time, I feel…wicked…" Kuvira whispered the last part, and again, out of instinct for how she performed the song, she pressed her lips hard against Korra's. Although, instead of Kuvira simply going through the motion like she normally did during a performance, she felt herself putting true passion behind the kiss.

And Korra needed to remind herself how to breathe. Although, she really couldn't, considering Kuvira had literally taken her breath away. _Ohmygodohmygod she's kissing me. What do I do? How do I person? Is this real life? What even is life anymore?_

But before Korra could even react and kiss Kuvira back, the older girl had already pulled away.

Once Kuvira noticed the flushed look on Korra's face, she immediately looked away after she realized what she did. _Ugh…I'm such an idiot. But it was instinct! I've rehearsed and performed this so many times that I just do it!_

"Uh…s-sorry about that," Kuvira managed to get out. "It-It just happened."

"No, I get it…" The disappointment in Korra's voice didn't go unnoticed by Kuvira, and her eyes softened a little as she tilted Korra's face so their eyes could meet.

Korra didn't want to look into Kuvira's eyes…the magnificent and endless green eyes that stole her heart the moment she saw them. She knew it was foolish to feel this way. She always found herself developing crushes too quickly, but this wasn't merely a crush…it was love.

Of course, Korra loved Kuvira as a friend. But the more time they spent together rehearsing the show and learning their parts, even going out to lunch and dinner on occasions, Korra couldn't help but find herself falling in love with Kuvira. She kept telling herself that it was too early, that she didn't really know what love like this felt like, and that her feelings would never be returned by Kuvira.

"You okay?" Kuvira's voice drew Korra out of her thoughts and heartbreak for a moment, and she finally mustered the courage to look back at the older girl.

"Y-Yeah," Korra got out, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

"Really?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow, an action that only stole Korra's heart all over again. "You look like you're about to cry."

"N-No…I'm fine."

"Which means you aren't fine," Kuvira said back quickly. She could easily tell when people were keeping something from her, and it was even easier to do that with Korra considering how expressive the younger girl's eyes were. "Tell me what's up…"

Kuvira sat back onto the stage floor, unintentionally pulling Korra into her lap in the process. Yet she thought nothing of it as the younger girl curled into her. Korra wrapped her arms around Kuvira's shoulders and rested her head against the older girl's chest. She felt comfortable like this…safe even.

Korra didn't think her feelings would hit her as hard as they did, but once she realized that the kiss probably meant nothing to Kuvira, she swore she felt her heart shatter.

It took Kuvira a few more moments to actually realize what could have made Korra so upset all of a sudden, and she mentally slapped herself for being so careless. _The kiss…does she really have feelings for me?_ The thought sparked hope in Kuvira. She knew she had a small crush on Korra the first time they went out for lunch with each other, and she was never sure if those feelings developed into anything more throughout their time together.

But her feelings were affirmed when she kissed Korra. Even if it had been out of instinct of the motions of the song, she knew she put more passion behind it than was needed, and that part was unintentional. But it happened, and her heart was pounding once she pulled away from Korra. The scary thing was that she really didn't know how to act upon her feelings. But Kuvira figured the least she could do right now was give Korra some closure and let the younger girl know she felt the same way.

So, after a couple more moments of awkward silence and just staring into each other's eyes, Kuvira leaned forward slowly and softly brushed her lips across Korra's. This time she heard the breath hitch in Korra's throat.

"Wha- I-I don't understand," Korra whispered, her hands now resting on the sides of Kuvira's neck.

"Wanna go out for dinner sometime? Like…on a date?" Kuvira asked, not even bothering to address Korra's confusion, but the younger girl's eyes quickly lit up once she heard Kuvira's question.

"I-I'd love to," Korra answered, a wide smile instantly spreading across her face. She still didn't know if this was real life, so she decided to make her confusion known again. "Am I dreaming?"

Kuvira let out a low, soft laugh and looked back at Korra with affection sparkling in her green eyes. "No," she stated simply, and leaned in again, giving Korra another soft, short kiss on her lips.

"It feels like I am…"

Kuvira smiled genuinely, and she felt warmth spread through her chest as Korra smiled back at her. _She's truly charming…_

"No, you're the charming one," Korra said with a light giggle.

"Uh…I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"Hm, it's fine. But it's also true; you are charming."

"Really? What makes you say something so ridiculous?" Kuvira returned, a playful smirk dancing onto her lips.

"Honestly, I don't really know. But you have a unique charm. It's quite capturing, if I say so myself." Korra grinned back and nuzzled her nose against Kuvira's neck.

"Mhmm, well I can see you are absolutely taken with me right now…"

"Oh honey, I've been taken with you since the day we met."

Kuvira's eyes widened a little at Korra's confession, and she was glad the younger girl's eyes were closed because if they weren't she would have seen Kuvira's face turn almost as red as a tomato…and that was something that never happened to Kuvira.

"I'm not sure if you're actually telling the truth or if you're just tired," Kuvira commented. "After all, it's almost midnight now. So maybe I should take you back to your apartment…"

"Orrrrr…" Korra drew out as she opened her eyes, looking up to Kuvira with a hint of desire flashing across her deep blue orbs. "We could stay here a little while longer and make out." Korra threw in a wink at the end, which only registered a small laugh from the older girl.

"Korra, I asked you out literally…not even five minutes ago…"

"And?"

Kuvira couldn't respond as she simply stared back at Korra, her face heating up again as she found herself unable to deny Korra's request.

"Exactly," Korra stated quickly.

Before she could even react, Kuvira was pulled down on top of Korra as they fell back onto the stage floor, their lips colliding roughly yet passionately.

And this time, Kuvira didn't object.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I got a couple requests for AUs, so here's one for you guys :P I just needed another fluffy one for now because I'm sure I'll be writing some angst and sad feels later on. Again, if you want a one-shot with angst, drama, shameless smut, etc…just tell me and I'll do it ;P
> 
> I actually really enjoyed writing this one-shot since I'm obsessed with Wicked and this idea just randomly popped into my head when I was thinking of different AUs I could do.
> 
> Also, I love writing the dialogue between Korra and Kuvira. I feel like they'd have a natural banter between each other – sarcasm, teasing, and what have you. So…yeah…the dialogue is fun to write. Going into each character's personal feelings is interesting as well.
> 
> And...if you didn't follow my advice in my A/N at the beginning of this one-shot…you suck…aha just kidding! But seriously, if you didn't watch a performance of "As Long As You're Mine," I highly suggest you do, and then you should reread this one-shot, because then you'll have a clear image of just how intimate Korra and Kuvira were getting while they were singing together.
> 
> Update on the Korvira fan art issue: There's been more of it, and that makes me happy :D But there's not enough xD Someone draw me Korra and Kuvira from this one-shot when they're making out and I will praise you to the Lord most High for eternity.
> 
> As always…happy reading!
> 
> \- A


	3. Say You Love Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This short…actually isn't very short at all xD It comes in at over 16,000 words…it's 36 pages on Microsoft Word xD
> 
> The italics in this one-shot indicate a memory.
> 
> I just made up the village name in this tbh xD And backed by many requests to do a "sequel" of sorts to my previous short "You Came Back," here ya go! I also got a request to do a one-shot where Kuvira lives on her own as a nomad or something, so I just combined both of those requests into a single short. This one will be very long as I am wrapping up this "story" if you'd like to call it that. So there will be time jumps, so make sure you're paying attention to those otherwise you'll be confused xP
> 
> Also, I know that Korra and Kuvira are roughly the same age in LoK, but in this I have Kuvira being a couple years older. So, while Korra would now be almost 23 in this short, Kuvira is almost 26.

Title: Say You Love Me – A sequel to "You Came Back."

Universe: Canon

Korrasami: Not canon but one-sided feelings

Summary: Eight months after being imprisoned, Kuvira is bailed out by Su. However, due to public hatred for her around the nations, Kuvira cannot live peacefully among her people anymore, and she instead takes to living a life in the wilderness. She survives on her own for two years, and she only makes appearances in small villages. However, Korra isn't giving up on trying to find her just yet.

POV: Third person omniscient

Rating: M for language, mature themes, abuse within a relationship, and graphic sexual situations

Trigger warning: Mentions of psychological torment and mentions of an abusive relationship

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_Korra came back the next day for her. Kuvira knew she would. The Avatar wasn't someone who left their feelings untouched for an extended period of time…especially after_ what happened between them.

_Kuvira was still confused about her own feelings for Korra. When she admitted she loved the younger woman to herself, it scared her more than anything. After all, she didn't really know anything about love. It was a foreign experience for her. Yet, even though she didn't have a clue about how to act on her feelings, she knew she loved Korra. Maybe it was the similarities between them. Maybe it was because Korra showed her forgiveness and understanding. Kuvira convinced herself that she'd never find out the true reason to why she fell for the Avatar, but she hoped that one day it would come to her._

_The kiss with Korra thoroughly shocked Kuvira though, mainly because she was normally closed off to forms of physical affection. It was why she kept her distance in the Spirit World at first. Kuvira wasn't able to make sense of the fact that Korra was holding her, comforting her._ We were trying to kill each other five minutes before all that happened, _Kuvira thought._

" _Hey."_

_Kuvira turned around from her position by her cell window and smiled once she saw Korra. It had been a month since the Avatar first visited her. A month since they had kissed. A month since they had acknowledged their feelings for each other._

" _Hey…" Kuvira said back, her voice raspy from drowsiness. She didn't get much sleep the previous night as she was constantly woken up by nightmares. She hated them, but she knew they'd never go away._

" _You feeling okay?" Korra asked as the guard let her into Kuvira's cell._

" _Yeah. Just couldn't fall asleep last night."_

" _Oh…okay. I wish they'd let me stay with you through the night."_

" _Why?"_

" _So I could be there to comfort you when you have those bad dreams."_

" _I-I never said I had - ,"_

" _I can see it in your eyes Kuvira." Gosh, she loved whenever Korra said her name._

" _Well…maybe you can ask them?"_

_Korra nodded, and they stood in front of each other awkwardly for a few moments before Korra finally put her arms over Kuvira's shoulders, pulling the older woman into a tight hug. Kuvira responded by wrapping her arms loosely around Korra's waist, and she nuzzled her nose against Korra's cheek._

_She took in the crisp, fresh scent of the younger girl…one of the many reasons Kuvira enjoyed hugging Korra. Of course she loved being close to Korra, but there was always something about the smell of the Avatar that made her feel safe, made her feel like she was home. And that was a feeling Kuvira hadn't felt since she was eight._

_Korra broke away first, and she cupped Kuvira's cheeks before she pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Kuvira savored the moment their lips met. She wished the moment could last forever, and she almost whined in displeasure as Korra pulled away again._

" _Are things a little better?" Korra asked softly as she sat down at the small table in Kuvira's cell, the older woman sitting across from her shortly after._

" _Yeah. They took the chains off today." Kuvira allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she looked down at her now free hands that were folded on top of the table._

" _Oh! I didn't even notice when I came in!" Korra exclaimed, physically face palming herself._ I'm such an idiot. I notice the smallest things about Kuvira yet I don't notice that the chains are gone…

_Korra smiled to Kuvira, but it faltered slightly as she saw all the scars on Kuvira's wrists. The Avatar looked back to the metal bender with sad eyes as she gently took Kuvira's hands in her own, and she laced their fingers together._

" _I'm guessing these are from the chains? Actually…I'm_ hoping _they're from the chains," Korra corrected herself as her eyes roamed over the scars and the small cuts that still hadn't healed on Kuvira's skin._

" _They are," Kuvira said, her voice soft as she subconsciously tilted her head down, her hair falling in front of her face so Korra couldn't see her neck._

" _Hey…it's okay now Kuvira." Korra released one of the metal bender's hands as she tucked Kuvira's hair behind her ear. Then she rested her free hand on the older woman's neck. "I'm here for you now. I'll always be here for you…"_

_Kuvira nodded as she brought her eyes back to Korra's again._

" _Thank you…"_

* * *

 

"No one knows where she is!" Korra shouted as she stormed into her room, startling Asami as she did so.

"I'm sure you'll find something sooner or later," Asami said back, keeping her voice soft as she avoided eye contact with her friend.

"Sure…I've basically asked everyone in Republic City, and I've asked anyone I saw while I was travelling with some of the other air benders. How have they not seen her? She's _Kuvira_ for Raava's sake!" Korra yelled.

"Why are you still stuck on her anyway?" Asami snapped, her patience gone now.

This was what it was like for the last couple months: arguing and fighting and walking off on each other. Asami hated it, and she knew Korra couldn't stand it either. _But if she would just let Kuvira go…it would be easier._ Although, Asami knew that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"Why am I still stuck on her?" Korra repeated, turning to face Asami, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Because I love her!"

"You don't know that!" Asami shouted back. "How do you know if she even loves you in return? Huh? You saw what she did to Baatar! She did nothing but use him at her expense, and when she was done with him, she tried to kill him!"

"She's changed Asami. She's recognized that she made mistakes, and she's trying to move on from them."

"She's a dictator Korra, a sociopath, a murderer. She - ,"

" _What_ did you just call her?" Korra glared back at Asami, fury now burning within her, her eyes darkening to almost a navy blue.

"You heard me Korra! How do you know that she hasn't gone back to the way she was?"

"First, don't ever call her a murderer again! And second, she promised me she wouldn't! She told me she was sorry, and I know she meant it! Asami, you didn't see how hurt she was in that prison. You didn't see how _broken_ she was," Korra said, her voice softening as all the images came back to her of the times she spent with Kuvira in her prison cell.

"Do you honestly think I care? She killed my father! She deserves whatever punishment she got!"

"She tried to kill herself!" Korra now shouted, and a silence instantly fell between them as Korra let the gravity of her statement sink in with Asami.

"Wh-What?" Asami got out, and Korra could hear the disbelief in her friend's voice.

"They chained her up and…they were long enough to wrap around one of the wooden bars, and sh-she…" And then Korra broke down into tears.

Asami immediately rushed to Korra's side and put her arms around her friend's shoulders. No matter how mad she just was at Korra, she had promised she would always be there for her. And she was trying so hard now not to walk away from Korra whenever they fought like this.

"Jeez…you really love her don't you?" Asami breathed out even though it pained her to say the words out loud.

Korra nodded as she leaned into Asami. She always managed to find comfort in her best friend no matter how bad things were between them. "Y-You have no idea…"

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said. I was upset and…I didn't mean them. But I was serious when I asked you whether or not you knew if she loved you back."

"She does."

"How do you know? Has she ever said it to you?"

Korra thought back to all the times she visited Kuvira, the days they spent together, the kisses they shared, the sentimental talks between them…and not once did Kuvira say those three words to her. Even when Korra said them to Kuvira _every single day_ she visited, the metal bender never responded…only with a kiss, or a small nod, or a light smile…but she never actually said them.

"N-No…"

"What?"

"She never told me…she loves me," Korra said softly, and she felt fresh tears fill her eyes.

"Korra, I'm just saying that maybe you fell too hard or jumped too quickly into your feelings."

"No," Korra said quickly. "Maybe when I first kissed her, but after that we took things slow. We got to know each other more. We shared things about our pasts. We talked about our passions, hobbies, goals…fears. We connected with each other Asami. There's something between us. I'm not giving up on her."

Asami nodded and let out another soft sigh. She couldn't stand the fact that her and Korra didn't work out. Once Kuvira vanished from what seemed like the face of the earth, Korra had a hard time accepting the fact that the metal bender was gone.

But after a few months, Asami and Korra grew closer. Korra asked Asami out, thinking that if she dated someone else, her feelings for Kuvira might fade over time. Although, Korra never referred to it as "dating" when she was with Kuvira, because what was so romantic about sitting on the floor of a jail cell? And even then, neither Korra nor Kuvira ever considered themselves "together." However, Korra's feelings for Kuvira didn't go away as she thought they would while she was dating Asami. She knew she broke Asami's heart when she told her, but she didn't want to lie to her best friend. She didn't want to lead Asami on when she only returned the feelings half-heartedly.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," Asami said again. "And…I'm sorry for what I said about Kuvira. It's not my place to assume things about her. You're right; I wasn't the one visiting her."

"It-It's okay Asami. I just get emotional when it comes to her. You know that by now. It's just…it's been two years now! How come she didn't let anyone know where she was going?"

"Maybe she needs some time alone," Asami answered, pulling Korra down next to her so they were sitting on the edge of the bed. "This is like what you did. You went away for three years because you needed to recover and pull yourself back together. Maybe that's what she's doing."

"But I eventually wrote to you…" Korra mumbled, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I mean, she could at least let me know she's alive. Do you know how many people want her dead for what she did?"

"I'm sure she's fine. Plus, she has her bending now that she's out in the world. She could easily defend herself if she ran into that kind of situation."

"I'm gonna find her Asami. I swear," Korra said, her voice a little stronger now. "Kuvira has never had anyone truly stay with her through her life. Even when Su took her in, Kuvira still felt like an outsider as she got older. I'm going to show her that now she _does_ have someone who will stay with her."

Asami gave a soft, encouraging smile to Korra as she let her best friend stand up. "I'm not going to stop you. But please take someone with you. I don't want you to be alone the whole time."

"I'll be fine Asami. I promise. And wherever I stop, I'll send you a letter to let you know how I'm doing."

"Okay. At least let me help you pack though," Asami said, a light laugh escaping her as she looked back at Korra with loving eyes.

"That is acceptable." A dorky grin came to Korra's face as she turned and walked out of the bedroom, going to find Tenzin to tell him she would be leaving again.

* * *

 

Kuvira had constantly been on the move for the first year once she got out of prison. Su had originally offered to bring her back into her family, but Kuvira had refused, saying that she had caused Su and her family too much pain and that she didn't feel like she deserved her hospitality.

So, Kuvira had gotten her few remaining possessions back from the prison. She had taken the metal off of her uniform, bended it into a tight ball, and stored it in her bag for future use – self-defense would be one of those uses later on.

She traveled lightly; her long-sleeved green shirt and brown, loose fitting pants were the only clothes she intended on taking, but she grudgingly accepted a light sweater and a tank top from Su. She brought a backpack of food that would last her a couple weeks, although she quickly picked up the skill of hunting once she was on her own.

Kuvira had avoided the cities and went through towns. However, it seemed like her head was still wanted in the larger towns. She had a few incidents in which she was cornered by people who simply wanted revenge on her. She was forced to use her bending on them even though she didn't want to – she was done with hurting other people. However, she wasn't just going to let those people kill her.

So she soon stuck to simply making her way through the woods, occasionally coming across small villages. She found that the villages were easier to go through. Even though the people knew who she was, they didn't necessarily seem afraid of her.

She didn't mind the traveling at first. In fact, she enjoyed it. She saw some parts of the Earth Kingdom she never saw before. Even when she was uniting the kingdom, she never came across some of the parts of the forest that she explored now. The forests were filled with Spirits roaming freely; they didn't have to worry about any harm, and they simply lived in peace with each other. When Kuvira had passed through and the Spirits saw her, they didn't move away from her, which was shocking to the young woman.

* * *

 

" _Why aren't you afraid of me?" she had asked one Spirit; a small yellow blob that had small green spots on its back and a leaf on the top of its head._

" _Why would we be?" the Spirit returned, looking up to Kuvira with wide eyes._

" _It's just…I was so disconnected from all of you. I was willing to cut down your most sacred place just so I could have power."_

" _It's okay Kuvira. Many of us have already forgiven you, and many are still on their way to giving you their forgiveness as well. We know it was just a mistake."_

" _Yeah…a really bad mistake," Kuvira muttered, pushing her hair out of her face._

" _But we all make mistakes. Even we do sometimes. But you can't dwell on them. You have to use them to your advantage. They can make you stronger," the Spirit told her._

_Kuvira nodded and smiled back at the Spirit. She never thought she'd be able to communicate with them, but after she was taken into the Spirit World with Korra…she was sure that changed something._

_And, as if the Spirit could read Kuvira's mind, it spoke up. "Why did you leave Korra?"_

" _Wha- how do you know Korra?"_

" _I led her to the swamp when she was going through her own healing time. I'm guessing that's what you're doing right now?"_

" _Um…yeah…" Kuvira was still in shock that this Spirit had helped Korra as well._ So maybe it can help me too, _she thought._

" _Do you want to be alone?" the Spirit asked her as they started walking through the forest with each other._

" _Right now I do."_

" _How long have you been gone so far?"_

" _Four months."_

" _You know, Korra misses you a lot."_

" _How could you possibly know that?" Kuvira returned, casting a side glance to the small Spirit._

" _She communicates with us almost every day. She keeps asking if we've seen you. She's out there looking for you now."_

" _After this, if she contacts you, tell her that you still haven't seen me," Kuvira said sternly._

" _Why? Don't you want to be with her?"_

_Kuvira stopped dead in her tracks, and she could feel the tears burning her eyes as she bit her lip, holding back a soft cry._

" _I-I want that more than anything…"_

" _Then go back to her!"_

" _It's not that simple!" Kuvira exclaimed, and although she startled the Spirit by her sudden outburst, it didn't show any signs of retreating from her. It just wanted to help._

" _Yes it is! She loves you! She wants you to go back to her." The Spirit's voice softened again as it inched closer to Kuvira, who was now on her knees clutching at her chest._

_Her heart physically hurt from not being able to see Korra. She never knew it was possible to love someone this much. And even though the fact of knowing she was in love scared the shit out of her, Kuvira would never regret that it happened._

" _I can't go back to her now," Kuvira rasped out._

" _Well…Korra doesn't even know if you're alive. You could at least let her know that much."_

" _No…I can't. I'm sorry. But I really need to be alone. I need to fix myself before I can even have a chance at anything more with her," Kuvira said sadly, and she let a single tear roll down her cheek._

" _You won't be able to do it by yourself," the Spirit told her._

" _I've always done everything by myself. I'll be…okay."_

" _But you won't be happy."_

" _I'm not looking for happiness right now. I already know that it's with Korra, but - ,"_

" _So why are you denying yourself such a great thing?"_

_The Spirit's question caught Kuvira off guard, and she had no clue how to answer it._ Why _am_ I denying myself happiness? _She asked herself the question over and over again, trying to make sense of it. Until finally she gave up, and she figured she would find the answer somewhere along her journey._

" _I-I'm not sure," she breathed out. "I guess I never really knew what it was throughout my life."_

" _Then why run from it?"_

" _I don't know okay?!" she yelled, a few more tears falling from her eyes. "I just need to be alone. If you want, you can tell Korra that you saw me, but don't say where I'm going okay?"_

" _That's fine. I just want her to know that you're alive. But you know she's never going to stop until she finds you right?"_

" _I know…she's so stubborn sometimes."_

" _Well…so are you," the Spirit pointed out, and Kuvira laughed for the first time in months._

" _Yeah, I guess so huh?"_

" _But that just shows how much she loves you! She's willing to risk her life and literally travel through all the nations just to find you!" the Spirit exclaimed, a smile coming to its face as its body glowed slightly._

" _I know she loves me. And actually…no, don't tell Korra you saw me. It'll only drive her crazier if I'm here but won't contact her," Kuvira said._

_The Spirit's smile instantly dropped. "Oh…okay. If that's what you really want…"_

" _It is. I need time to straighten things out. Like I said, I need to fix myself before I can go back to Korra."_

" _You know she'll always love you, whether you're broken or healed. But we both know you'll always be broken."_

_And before Kuvira could say anything back, the Spirit had disappeared._

* * *

 

Kuvira was now camped out only a few miles from the small village of Ka'li. There weren't even three hundred people living there, and Kuvira had spent the last four weeks here. She liked it too. The people knew who she was, of course, but they never tried to harm her in any way nor did they treat her differently from a normal resident of the village.

And since Kuvira was often in the village, she would be asked many times why she didn't just get a small house in the village itself. Kuvira responded that she simply didn't feel comfortable around people all the time yet, since she spent two years in isolation. It was an accepted answer, and she wasn't questioned further about it.

She had a small hut on the edge of the forest. She had earth bended the rocks and solid ground to make it. While it wasn't big by any means, Kuvira didn't need much considering she was by herself. There were two small rooms: her "bedroom" and a cooking area. A nice man in Ka'li had given her one of his old mattresses so she wasn't stuck sleeping on the bare ground anymore, and she had managed to obtain a light blanket from a woman, and in turn Kuvira gave the woman's daughter a few metal bending lessons.

It was a simple, easy going life. Kuvira actually found herself smiling more often, and she was slowly getting used to talking and interacting with people again. It was a nice feeling while it lasted…because almost every night Kuvira would stay up, pacing around her room as she constantly thought of Korra.

At one point she thought she was going insane. The voices in her head started bringing her down again. _'The Great Uniter,'_ they often mocked. _'Look how far that got you.' 'Your greed and selfishness caused you to throw away any chance you had at finding a place where you belonged.'_

Those were the typical ones. She could deal with them. She kept telling herself that 'no,' she wasn't the person she used to be. She had changed for the better, and it was all because of Korra. But once she mentioned the Avatar's name, the voices ended up tearing her to shreds.

' _Do you really think Korra cares about you?' 'Do you actually think she loves you?' 'Do you really think someone like her – a well-respected, admired hero – would ever fall for someone like_ you _– a selfish, evil_ monster _?'_

Kuvira would often spend her nights crying and begging for the voices to stop. She was afraid that if they continued, she would end up trying to kill herself again. And the worse part about it was: Korra wouldn't even know.

So Kuvira pushed through the days. While she was more comfortable around the people of Ka'li and felt that she could stay in the village for a long period of time, she was still tormented by the voices at night, unable to get rid of them until she fell into nightmares so intense she couldn't even escape them.

* * *

 

Korra forgot how long she had been traveling for. The last letter she received from Asami was nearly three weeks ago. So, Korra figured she was now a little over four months into her journey. Tenzin had allowed her to take Oogi, since he was the fastest and strongest bison they had. Korra thanked the Spirits for the bison. If she was left to travel on foot, she would have been traveling for six or seven months by now.

After coming up short by the thirteenth small village she visited, she finally decided to take a break for a couple days – maybe a week or so even – at the next village she reached.

The people of Ka'li were extremely welcoming, and they promised Korra they would take good care of Oogi while they rested. They gave her a small room at the only inn, and Korra praised Raava as she collapsed onto the soft bed.

"Ughhhh…I'm never going to find her," Korra groaned into the pillow. But, she wasn't giving up. Even though she was resting in Ka'li, that didn't mean she wasn't going to ask the people if they had seen Kuvira.

* * *

 

"Excuse me ma'am?" Korra asked as she walked up to the woman's fruit cart.

"What can I get for you, Avatar Korra?" The woman smiled, her older eyes lighting up as Korra returned the smile.

"Well…I do want to buy some fruit, but I also wanted to ask you something, and it's really important."

"Of course. I'd love to help the Avatar."

"Okay…I know this may sound crazy, but…okay, first, you know who Kuvira is, right?"

"Ah yes, the Great Uniter, as they used to call her." The woman nodded, and Korra continued.

"She didn't happen to pass by here recently, did she?"

"Kuvira? She's basically living here right now!"

"Wait…really?" Korra's eyes instantly lit up, and before she knew what she was doing she threw her arms around the woman, giving her a giant hug. "Wow! I can't thank you enough! Really…this is great, amazing…everything I could have asked for!"

"May I ask why you want to see Kuvira so much?"

Korra hesitated with her answer, before she carefully replied, "We managed to be friends. And I haven't seen her for over two years."

"Ah…well, she lives in a small hut about three miles north of here, right on the edge of the forest."

"Thank you _so_ much! You really don't know how much this means to me," Korra said genuinely, her eyes lighting up again as her mind instantly thought of seeing Kuvira again.

* * *

 

As Korra began the walk to where the woman had told her Kuvira lived, the Avatar couldn't help but feel a spark of anger in her. She wasn't angry at Kuvira…she was angry at what she _did._ Thus, this new rage caused Korra to almost sprint the rest of the way, and she quickly spotted the small hut on the edge of the forest, just like the woman had said.

Korra's heart was beating rapidly from excitement, yet she clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes a bit as she jogged the small way to the hut.

She saw that a makeshift door had been made out of wood, and it was hooked by metal hinges into the rock that composed the foundation of the hut. _Fucking Kuvira…why do you always have to be so damn resourceful?_ Korra thought before she brought her fist down hard on the door multiple times.

"Will you fucking chill out, I'm coming!" she heard Kuvira yell back. _What a charmer…_ Korra thought sarcastically.

And then the door opened, and Korra didn't know what to do. Neither did Kuvira. They just stood there for what seemed like hours, looking into each other's eyes; while Korra was deciding what she should say to Kuvira, the metal bender was trying to figure out just _how_ Korra managed to find her.

"K-Korra…wh-what are you - ,"

"Shut up," Korra growled, and she grabbed the front of Kuvira's tank top and pulled the metal bender closer to her almost threateningly. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I-I don't…understand what - ,"

"You fucking left me!" Korra yelled as she pushed Kuvira back against the outer wall of the hut. "Y-You didn't even think to at least let me know that you were leaving?!"

"Korra…please, just - ,"

" _Shut…up!"_ The Avatar screamed, the tears now streaming down her cheeks, but the anger remained in her eyes.

Kuvira groaned as she grabbed Korra abruptly and slammed her into the wall this time, and she kept her forearm across Korra's shoulders, preventing the younger woman from escaping her grip.

"Look at me," Kuvira said, her voice low, yet it wasn't menacing in any way like Korra's was. "Look at me Korra…" When the Avatar finally obeyed and made eye contact with Kuvira, her anger dropped just a little bit.

"Why did you leave?" Korra breathed out as she tried to contain the rage currently coursing through her.

"I can't answer that right now." For a reunion, this definitely wasn't how Kuvira had pictured it.

"Yes, you can, and you fucking will," Korra said, and she pushed Kuvira off of her. "At least tell me why you never even wrote to me?" Korra's voice cracked at the end as fresh tears filled her eyes.

"I-I never knew what to say. Eventually I decided that I needed some time alone."

" _Some_ time? Kuvira, you were gone for over two years!" Korra cried, and she slid down the wall of the hut until she was sitting on the ground. "Do you have any idea how much I missed you? How much I _needed_ you?"

"Don't blame anything on me!" Kuvira snapped, her eyes now the ones to fill with anger. "You left for three years! You abandoned your friends and the people who cared about you! You needed time to heal and handle things yourself Korra! That's what I'm doing!"

"You could've told me though…"

"For fuck's sake…Korra, I _needed_ to be alone. And I mean _completely_ alone."

Kuvira was trying to keep her temper down, and so far she thought she was doing a damn good job at it. But she found that Korra was treading in dangerous waters when it came to throwing her emotions completely off balance. And for the first time in her life, Kuvira was afraid of how she would react.

"Do you know how nervous I was? I didn't know if you were even alive! Do you know what that did to me?" More tears escaped Korra's eyes. Her crying was almost uncontrollable now, yet she still managed to hold Kuvira's gaze, even though it pained her to look at the woman she loved right now.

"And do you know what it did to _me_?" Kuvira shot back, glaring down at Korra.

"I loved you Kuvira!" Korra yelled, holding her hands tightly against her chest. "I visited you nearly every day for eight months! And I loved you every single one of those days! I don't think you really know how much you mean to me; when you left, I cried until I didn't have any more tears! I - ,"

"Stop making me feel guilty about myself!"

"Excuse me?" Korra narrowed her eyes, her anger returning now as she stood up and gave Kuvira a hard shove away from her. "You _should_ feel guilty about what you did! For eight months we talked, and laughed, and cried, and got to know each other on a deeper level, and then you just decided to throw all of it away! You just disregarded everything that went on between - ,"

"No I didn't," Kuvira growled, rage lacing through her voice. "I never disregarded what went on between us. I never forgot about what we had. I just didn't know how to react to it. Whenever I was with you, I felt safe. I felt loved. It was the only time I've ever felt that way with anyone… _truly_ felt that way."

Kuvira's body was shaking lightly know as she tried to contain both her sadness and her anger. She balled her hands into fists, the muscles in her arms tensing as she resisted the urge to lash out at Korra; she had already done enough of that verbally…she didn't need to – didn't _want_ to bring the physical element into this right now.

"You showed me forgiveness and kindness when the family that took me in wouldn't even do that," Kuvira continued, her voice a little softer now as the pain took over. "And…I didn't know what to do, what to say, or how to react to your kindness…"

"Well, leaving me certainly wasn't the best thing to do…" Korra muttered, and that was enough to make the thin strand of resistance snap in Kuvira.

Korra didn't have enough time to react as Kuvira's fist flew into the side of her face, and then she was pushed hard into the wall of the hut again, and Korra felt the wind get knocked out of her for a short moment.

"Don't act like you know what I should and shouldn't do," Kuvira said lowly, her eyes narrowed as she slammed Korra against the wall again.

"I'm just saying…it wasn't necessarily the best decision," Korra growled back as she pushed Kuvira away from her, and she hurled a ball of fire at the older woman.

Kuvira brought a block of earth up just in time to shield her from the flames. She rolled away from Korra's next line of flames, and she sent a barrage of heavy rocks towards the Avatar, and one barreled into Korra's stomach, knocking her off her feet.

Kuvira narrowed her eyes again, and she advanced quickly on Korra. She pinned the younger woman to the ground and looked down at her with nothing but pure rage. Kuvira didn't know what was happening to her. During the whole two years she travelled, during the eight months she spent in prison, she never felt this kind of fury pulse through her.

Korra, on the other hand, had never been so afraid in her life before this moment. Of course there was Zaheer, and how he almost killed her _had been_ the most frightening moment in her life. But now…this was so much different. Seeing the ire – and possibly hatred – in Kuvira's eyes made Korra feel like she was nothing. And she didn't even know why this was happening, but she was snapped out of her shock when she felt Kuvira's hands on her neck.

Kuvira had pressed her whole body weight into Korra, making it so the Avatar couldn't escape her grip. However, Korra still had slight mobility in her hands, and it was enough for her to summon a rock and launch it at Kuvira.

The mass of earth slammed into Kuvira's side with enough force to throw the older woman off her. Korra looked back at Kuvira – whose hair had come undone from her loose ponytail – and she couldn't help but think back to the first time they had fought at Zao Fu. But the Avatar quickly pushed the memory away as she jumped off the ground and instantly tugged Kuvira up by her tank top, and Korra landed a hard fist to her jaw. Kuvira groaned in pain before she brought her own fist into Korra's stomach, knocking the wind out of the Avatar again.

It wasn't until they were both too exhausted to fight each other anymore did they stop. And they just looked at one another, less than a foot away from each other, Kuvira's strong green eyes burning into Korra's deep blue ones.

Blood leaked from Kuvira's mouth and nose. She had scratches on her shoulders and across her cheek. Korra's nose was bleeding as well, and there was a large cut through her shirt that reached through to her skin, causing a small trickle of blood to fall from her arm, staining her shirt.

Kuvira was the first to give in, falling onto her knees as she let the tears fall, their presence stinging her eyes, her cries making the pain in her face worse. Korra kneeled down next, and she put her arms around Kuvira's shoulders. Kuvira circled her own arms around Korra's torso and gripped tightly at the fabric of her shirt in return.

A few moments later, Korra's own tears were falling.

They just knelt there for what felt like hours, holding each other as they both cried. And Kuvira was the first to pull away, but she still held on to Korra.

"What did I do to you?" Kuvira whispered, tears staining her cheeks as she ran her fingers over the bruises forming on Korra's neck from where she had tried to strangle her.

Korra returned the movement, and ran her thumb across the outline of Kuvira's lips that were now a dark crimson from the blood covering them.

"I'm so sorry…" Korra got out, her own voice raspy and weak as she tried to cover up the pain coursing through her.

"You did nothing wrong. I-I'm the one who left you. I'm the one who hurt you. I don't de-deserve you Korra."

"Don't ever say that again." Korra's voice gained a little strength as she looked intently back at Kuvira. She could see that the older woman was still broken, and no matter how much the metal bender tried to cover it up, Korra knew she would always be hurt.

"I don't want you to deny yourself this," Korra continued as she helped Kuvira stand up, both of them still weak from their fight. "This," she motioned between them, "what we have together…is a second chance."

"I don't deserve a second chance Korra…"

"Yes you do. Everyone does."

Kuvira ended up supporting Korra more as they walked into her hut, and she brought Korra into her room and laid her down on the mattress. She could tell the Avatar was in pain. Another wave of guilt passed through Kuvira from knowing she was the one who caused Korra this pain. _All because I couldn't control my temper…_

Korra winced as she sat up so she could be closer to Kuvira, and the older woman avoided her eyes.

"Kuvira, look at me." The metal bender hesitantly turned her head, her green eyes now darkened by regret and her tears. "You deserve this. You deserve all the happiness in the world, and I want that happiness to be _us._ "

Kuvira nodded as she gently took Korra's hands in her own, and the Avatar respond with a soft smile as she intertwined their fingers.

"Do you want me to get you some water?" Kuvira asked as she tugged at the hem of Korra's shirt, knowing there would be a bruise on her stomach.

"Y-Yeah…"

"I'm sorry I hurt you," Kuvira said softly before she left the room, and she came back after a few short moments with a bowl of water in her hands.

"Will you let me heal you first?" Korra asked, looking back to Kuvira with wide eyes still stained with tears.

"No…please Korra, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Korra nearly scoffed as she slipped her shirt off, and Kuvira looked away as the Avatar brought a small mass of water over her stomach. "Kuvira, I worried about you for more than two years, so don't even get me started."

Kuvira let a smile dance across her lips for a short moment as she faced Korra again, blushing ever so slightly as her eyes took in the Avatar's figure. "I don't think 'I'm sorry' is sufficient enough to express my feelings about leaving you," Kuvira said quietly.

"No, it's not," Korra agreed as the water's glow brightened as the healing process began. "But I want you to know that I'm going to forgive you for it. In fact, I've partially forgiven you already."

"Why are you so ready to forgive me so quickly?"

"Kuvira, you're not like others who do bad things with intention to do them. All your life you've been trying to do what's right for others, but you took the wrong approach to it once you became desperate to accomplish your goals.

"And when you left, you were actually thinking about yourself for once instead of trying to help others. The only thing I wondered about that decision is: Why? Why did you leave your whole life behind? Why did you leave _me_ behind?"

Kuvira felt yet another wave of guilt pass through her at Korra's words, but she allowed herself to answer Korra as best as she could. "I guess I wanted to start over," Kuvira breathed out. "I wanted to pull myself back together. I wanted to be a better person…for you."

Korra bended the water back into the bowl, the pain in her stomach gone now, and she was truly touched by Kuvira's words.

"But…I don't think I did a very good job with it," Kuvira added, looking away from Korra again as she wrapped her arms around her stomach and closed in on herself a little bit.

Korra ran her hand through Kuvira's hair, pushing it out of the metal bender's face, and she almost broke into tears again when she saw how _sad_ Kuvira's eyes were.

"You tried. You're still trying," Korra said softly. "And that's all that matters to me."

Kuvira shook her head as she avoided Korra's eyes again. "I don't want to hurt you anymore Korra. But…I know that's not going to happen."

"It can, and it will. I'll help you along the way." Korra smiled softly as she took Kuvira's chin in her hand and tilted the metal bender's face towards her own again. Kuvira winced at the contact, and Korra instantly bended the water up to her face. "Now will you let me heal your wounds?"

Kuvira managed a small nod as a smile graced her lips, and Korra grabbed the small cloth next to the bowl and handed it to Kuvira as she began the healing process.

Nothing was broken, but the pain in Kuvira's face was constant, and the metal bender just wanted it to end. She was thankful for the instant relief Korra's healing brought to her, and she gently wiped the dried blood off her nose and mouth.

Both women were instantly taken back to Korra's first visit to the prison. Kuvira would never forget how gentle and caring Korra had been as she helped heal her wounds that night. It had been nothing more than a friendly gesture out of the kindness of Korra's heart until they had looked at each other right after she was done. The way their eyes met, the closeness of their faces…it all made it more intimate than it should have been, yet neither woman had complained about it.

"We just tried to kill each other," Kuvira mumbled as Korra brought the water away from her face, the pain now gone, which brought a sense of relief to the metal bender.

"Yeah well…that's not the first time that's happened," Korra said with a smirk, taking the cloth from Kuvira's hands and tossing it aside.

And Kuvira found herself laughing.

Korra didn't necessarily know what was so funny about her statement, although a small chuckle did escape her at one point. But the sound of Kuvira's laughter filling the small room brought the widest smile to Korra's face. She rarely heard Kuvira laugh; there were only small scoffs or low chuckles, but there was never a full laugh like there was now.

And then Korra was wrapped in Kuvira's arms as the older woman's laughs eventually died out. Kuvira looked back at Korra, her green eyes now bright with, well…happiness, and Korra's heart instantly soared at the sight.

"I missed you so much," Kuvira whispered.

Korra never loved anyone more than she did in that moment.

* * *

 

Kuvira jumped awake when she turned over and pressed into another body, and she startled Korra awake as well.

"Shit!" Korra exclaimed as she took in a few deep breaths, trying to calm her now racing heart.

"S-Sorry," Kuvira breathed out as she sat up, leaning her back against the earth wall.

It had been three weeks since Kuvira was reunited with Korra. Everything about living with Korra for this time was perfect. They went into Ka'li with each other often, either to buy food, go to a small restaurant to eat, or grab a few drinks. As Korra liked to say to Kuvira, they did "things that a couple would do and they should totally make it official."

Kuvira had agreed, although, being the literal thinker she was, she had pointed out the fact that they had been in love with each other for more than two years even if they didn't see each other for all that time. Well…she actually said that _Korra_ had been in love with her, but she never admitted it herself.

They took things slow. Their kisses started off short, and they gradually moved to longer, more loving ones as their relationship progressed. Kuvira was still uncomfortable with holding hands or something when they were in public. Korra didn't blame her though. Korra knew that even though Ka'li was a small village, if someone found out that the Avatar and the ex-Great Uniter were together, word would eventually spread like wildfire.

But when they were in Kuvira's hut, Korra never shied away from any moment in which she could receive physical contact from Kuvira. She always made sure she was close to the metal bender. Kuvira wasn't all that familiar with the physical aspect of a relationship – she had admitted to Korra that aside from short hugs and chaste kisses, she had never really _done_ anything with Baatar Jr. So, Korra made it her mission to ease Kuvira into that new element.

And while the Avatar didn't want to rush Kuvira, she didn't want things to go _too_ slowly either. So, about two weeks into their official relationship, Korra suggested that they sleep with each other. Kuvira responded in kind to that request by spitting out the mouthful of water she was drinking.

* * *

 

" _So I was thinking…"_

" _You're always thinking."_

_Korra rolled her eyes as she helped Kuvira dismount Oogi. "Anyway…I was thinking about how you haven't necessarily been a great girlfriend to me as of late." Korra smirked a little as she walked into Kuvira's hut. The metal bender instantly tensed up._

" _Why do you say that?"_

" _Well…I've slept on the ground for like, almost two weeks now. Don't you think that's a little cruel?"_

" _What, you're not used to it by now? I thought you told me the mattresses at the Air Temple were just as hard," Kuvira teased, returning Korra's smirk._

_Korra groaned and faced Kuvira as the older woman took a small swig from her water flask. "You're impossible."_

" _Maybe…"_

" _Yes, you are. Can't you see what I'm asking you?"_

_Kuvira raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, and for a moment Korra forgot how to breathe._ That damn thing she does with her eyebrows…it'll always get me, _Korra thought. But she continued on with her new proposition to Kuvira._

" _I'm saying that I want to sleep with you."_

_And then a spray of water came flying from Kuvira's mouth as she stared at Korra with wide eyes. "What?!"_

" _I said: I want to sleep with – oh, wow…okay, that didn't come out like I necessarily wanted it to." Korra's face cringed slightly as she scratched the back of her head, a blush coming to her face. "I don't mean_ sleep _sleep with each other – even though I'd_ love _that…um, anyway…I meant just sleeping with each other. Ya know, cuddling and stuff."_

"… _And stuff?"_

" _Shut up! I just want to be closer to you okay?"_

" _You're literally two feet away from me."_

" _That's too far! I need someone to keep me warm!"_

" _Must you be such a baby about it?"_

" _Yes!" Korra crossed her arms over her chest and put on her best pouting face as she looked to Kuvira with wide eyes that glistened slightly._

" _Oh my goodness…you're ridiculous." Korra kept the face. "Okayyyy fine!" Kuvira groaned, flailing her arms in defeat._

_Korra grinned in triumph before she pulled Kuvira against her and into a heated kiss. Kuvira instantly melted into Korra's lips. She was becoming more used to the feeling now, and there were moments when she never wanted to stop kissing Korra._

_Korra pulled away after a few more moments, and she smirked up at Kuvira. "There's something you should know about me Great Uniter," Korra said lowly against Kuvira's war._

" _Oh? And what's that?" Kuvira would never admit it, but hearing Korra address her as her previous title – and in such a sultry tone – turned her on immensely._

" _I'm the Avatar…and I_ always _get what I want."_

* * *

 

Another two weeks had passed, and Korra had never been happier with anyone before. She loved every moment she spent with Kuvira. Sure, they had had an argument here and there – mostly about something trivial, but if anything, they had grown even closer than they used to be.

"Have you ever thought about, ya know, getting a normal bed to sleep on?" Korra asked as she slipped under the blanket next to Kuvira.

"See…there's this thing called money; I don't have it."

"Yes you do."

Kuvira rolled her eyes. "Not enough to buy a full bedframe though."

Korra huffed out a short breath of air as she leaned her head on Kuvira's shoulder. The metal bender hesitated a little before she put an arm around Korra's waist.

"You're still not used to it huh?" Korra breathed out, tilting her face so she could look up at her girlfriend.

"No, I am. It's just still a little new. You know I've never been like this with someone before," Kuvira responded, giving Korra a soft, reassuring smile.

"I get it. I'll wait as long as you need to." Korra smiled back before she leaned up and gently pressed her lips against Kuvira's. The kiss was short and sweet, but it gave Kuvira the greatest feeling in the world to know she had someone who truly cared about her.

"Why do you love me?" Kuvira whispered once they broke away.

Korra bit her lip and tapped her chin as she thought of how to respond to Kuvira. But the truth was, Korra didn't know the full reason to why she fell in love with Kuvira or why she _continued_ to love her. But, she knew bits and pieces of the whole reason, and they would have to do for now.

"Trust me Kuvira, I didn't love you at first."

Kuvira scoffed and rolled her eyes. "The feeling was mutual."

"Oh I know. But, in all seriousness, I think I felt something for you in the Spirit World. When you told me how your parents abandoned you, and when I saw that we really weren't that different at all, I knew we had a chance at becoming friends.

"But once they took you to prison, I started thinking more about our fights and the kind of person you really were. Eventually, you grew on me, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. That's why I chose to visit you in the first place. Sure, I wanted to check on you, but I also wanted to face my feelings. And once I saw you looking so broken in your cell, I knew that what I felt for you went beyond friendship.

"It frightened me, since the last time I jumped headfirst into my feelings, it didn't end well. That's why I ran off after I kissed you for the first time. I didn't think you felt the same way. Of course, I found out that you _did_ a few days later, but I felt foolish at the time.

"However, when we started talking more, I couldn't help the emotions that went through me whenever I saw you smile or laugh. I quickly fell in love with everything about you Kuvira. Even when you were crying and even when you yelled at me to leave you alone those few times…I still loved you."

"And what about now?" Kuvira got out, her voice soft as she pressed a kiss to Korra's temple. "Do you still love me as much now?"

"I love you even more," Korra answered, smiling up at her girlfriend again. Korra shifted her position and propped herself up with her arm, and she used her free hand to cup Kuvira's cheek. "I never stopped loving you for the two years you were gone either. Every day I looked for you, and every day I loved you."

"I just – I guess I'll never be able to understand why you never gave up on me. You risked your life for me Korra. That still blows my mind out of all proportions, and it's something I'll never completely fathom."

Korra just sighed out happily and settled down again, this time resting her head on Kuvira's chest. The steady beating of Kuvira's heart calmed the Avatar, and before Kuvira could continue her thoughts, Korra had already drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 

"I can't believe I actually convinced you to come back," Korra said as she glanced back to Kuvira, who was lying back on Oogi's saddle comfortably, looking up to the clouds above them.

"Well…I couldn't stay there forever," Kuvira responded, and she sat up and smiled at Korra, her eyes lighting up as she looked at the love of her life.

They had stayed in Ka'li for another week and half, and Korra was constantly nagging Kuvira about coming back with her to Air Temple Island. Kuvira was adamantly against it at first, but eventually Korra won her over by telling her that she had to start over with the people she had hurt. After all, Kuvira wanted forgiveness, and Korra pointed out that she certainly wasn't going to get it by running away for the rest of her life.

"Won't Tenzin and the rest of the airbenders be opposed to me coming back?" Kuvira asked. "And what about Asami? I killed her father."

Korra had told Kuvira about her fleeting relationship with Asami. She explained to the metal bender that yes, she had originally tried to move on, but no, they did not go any further than kissing.

"Along my journey searching for you, I wrote to Asami often, and in one of her letters back to me, she said that she would try to forgive you. She said it would be hard and that she would need a lot of time, but she was sure she would eventually be able to do it."

"Oh…well…that's very kind of her." Kuvira didn't know what else to say to that, but knowing that Asami was willing to try was enough for her right now.

Korra patted Oogi, signaling for the bison to keep flying before she moved back next to Kuvira.

"It's going to be alright," Korra said softly, taking Kuvira's hands in her own. "I promise. They'll warm up to you once they see that you're not the person they thought you were."

Kuvira nodded and rested her forehead against Korra's.

"Thank you."

* * *

 

"Tenzin!" Korra jumped off Oogi and ran to the man, jumping into his arms, engulfing him in a tight hug.

"It's so good to have you back. It's been what…almost nine months since we last saw you?" Tenzin smiled warmly down to Korra, but his expression faltered slightly when he saw Kuvira walking towards them.

"Hi," Kuvira said, feeling extremely awkward under Tenzin's gaze. She felt as if the airbender was scrutinizing her every move, wondering if she was still the same power-hungry killer that she was almost three years ago.

"Hello Kuvira," Tenzin greeted, and he held out his hand to the young woman. Kuvira smiled when she shook his hand, glad that she might be able to start over with him.

However, Korra could sense the slight tension of the situation setting in, so she grabbed the few bags they had and turned back to Tenzin. "Um…I'm gonna go help Kuvira get set up in one of the rooms. You can tell Pema and Asami that I'm back and I'll see them in a little bit for dinner!"

"Of course. Again, I'm really glad to have you around again." He gave Korra another tight hug, and the Avatar laughed at how awkward Tenzin could be sometimes when he showed physical affection.

Korra nodded to Kuvira, and the metal bender followed her through the halls and up the stairs of the Air Temple until they reached a spare room a floor above Korra and Asami's room.

"Thank you," Kuvira said as she entered the room, and Korra set their bags down on the floor, letting out a long groan before she flopped onto the bed.

"Why did I carry all those bags?" Korra whined into the mattress.

"Seriously? There are only four of them. And two are tiny!" Kuvira let out a soft laugh as she sat on the edge on the bed, and she leaned forward, pressing her lips to the top of Korra's head.

Korra responded by rolling over and pulling Kuvira on top of her, and she crashed their lips together in a passionate kiss. Kuvira's eyes widened momentarily as she wasn't expecting the kiss, but she quickly closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the feeling of Korra's soft lips moving slowly against her own.

Korra smiled against Kuvira's lips as she draped her arms lazily over the metal bender's strong shoulders, and she took a risk by opening her mouth just slightly, tracing her tongue along Kuvira's lower lip. And to her surprise, Kuvira let her have the access she wanted.

They had never shared a kiss this deep before, and Kuvira was shocked as well that she was allowing Korra to do this. But the new intensity of the kiss excited Kuvira, and she pressed her lips a little harder against Korra's.

The Avatar took the higher pressure of the kiss as encouragement from the woman on top of her, and she slowly slipped her tongue into Kuvira's mouth. She also tugged Kuvira down so their bodies were pressed flush against each other. She wanted to be as close to Kuvira as possible.

And Korra couldn't help the moan that escaped her as their tongues met, and it was possibly much louder than she had intended it to be. But she didn't break the kiss. It was intense and passionate, but it was still slow and loving. Korra wished she could stay like this forever with Kuvira, but the metal bender eventually pulled away as she needed to breathe.

They were panting as they looked into each other's eyes, and Korra could have sworn she saw a glint of desire flash across Kuvira's magnificent green orbs.

"Wow…" was all Kuvira could manage at the moment.

"Yeah…" Korra breathed out, and she rested their forehead together as their breathing began to steady.

Kuvira was still a little stunned by the intimacy of the kiss, and she was more stunned that she had even allowed it to _become_ that intimate. But Kuvira felt something more during the kiss, something that went beyond her simple attraction for Korra. It was a feeling that made her want to take things further with the Avatar. It terrified her yet comforted her at the same time. She was afraid of taking that sort of step with someone, but she was relieved in knowing that it would be with Korra, the woman whom she had fallen in love with countless times over. And that was something Kuvira would never regret.

* * *

 

"Are you sure I didn't need to look more presentable?" Kuvira asked, a soft laugh escaping her, and she looked over to Korra as they walked across the courtyard of the Air Temple.

She was a little nervous about having dinner with Tenzin and his family, but Korra assured her it would be fine…and it was. Although, Kuvira was _also_ worried that she wasn't dressed properly. After all, she had grown accustomed to dinners on her train with Baatar Jr. and other high ranked military officers who worked for her, and those occasions required her to at least be dressed in her military attire. So, showing up in front of Tenzin in a gray tank top and her worn and tattered beige pants was a little awkward for Kuvira. Although, she _had_ managed to put her hair in a braid so it didn't look as disheveled as it did when she arrived at the island.

"Positive," Korra said back with a nod of her head. "Meals here are very informal. Sometimes I show up in my pajamas."

"To dinner?"

"Well…yeah. Ya know, I actually have some days where I can just relax now."

Kuvira nodded and took Korra's hands as they neared the edge of the courtyard. Kuvira never knew how beautiful the view was from Air Temple Island; she could see the skyline of Republic City – or, what had been rebuilt so far of it, and the light breeze coming off the ocean gave a calm feel to the scene. She loved it. And it was more special since she was there with Korra.

"Does anyone know…about us?" Kuvira asked softly as she entwined her fingers with Korra's.

"Just Asami," Korra said, giving Kuvira a light smile. "Why? Do you want other people to - ,"

"No, no…I was just asking," Kuvira said quickly. "In fact, that's the _last_ thing I want people to know."

"Why?"

Kuvira saw the small amount of hurt cross Korra's eyes, and the metal bender sighed out shortly before she answered. "I just – maybe it's not the best idea to let them know that you're dating the woman who tried to conquer Republic City and kill all of them."

Understanding quickly washed over Korra, and then she let out a short, awkward bark of a laugh. "Yeah…that might not be too good for them to know right now." Korra leaned into Kuvira, resting her head on the metal bender's shoulder, and the older woman smiled at action.

"I love you," Korra whispered.

Kuvira responded by holding the Avatar tighter against her, trying to convey to Korra through her actions that she felt the same way. And soon Kuvira was holding Korra so tight the younger woman thought she wouldn't be able to breathe in a few seconds.

"Kuvira…" Korra got out in a long breath, and the metal bender let go of Korra once she realized just how tight she was holding her.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's fine. I was just afraid of suffocating but, ya know, at least I'd be close to you if I did," Korra said, her voice light as she nudged Kuvira with her elbow.

"I guess I'm still not the best as showing affection huh?" Kuvira joked, a small smirk coming to her lips.

"A little more work on it would probably benefit you." Korra returned the smirk as she leaned her elbows on the stone railing. Kuvira did the same soon after. "But in all honesty, I think you're getting the hang of it."

"Of what?"

"The physical affection!" Korra laughed as she leaned over and lightly kissed Kuvira's shoulder. "Really though, aside from the kiss way back when you were in prison, you were really awkward whenever I hugged you or tried to cuddle with you."

"I wasn't used to it then," Kuvira said softly.

"But I think you are now, right?"

Kuvira nodded, feeling a smile come back to her lips. "Yeah…I think multiple hours of you clinging to me eventually did it," she teased.

"You can't deny that you enjoyed it though." Korra pouted and narrowed her eyes playfully at Kuvira.

"I'm not denying anything. It was actually quite comforting to know that you were so determined to woo me with your cuddling skills." Korra sensed the light tone of Kuvira's voice, yet she heard some seriousness behind her words.

"Well…I believe that when you love someone, you should show them," Korra said. "You can say all these wonderful things and promise that person everything in the world, but if you don't actually follow your words, if you don't commit to them, then what's the point?"

"So…what are you saying?" Kuvira had a strong feeling about where this conversation was going. She knew that through all the time she and Korra had spent together, she had never told the Avatar she loved her.

"You know how I always tell you that I love you? Like, every night I left the prison, and now, every time before we go to sleep…I always said it," Korra started.

_Yup…here it comes,_ Kuvira thought as she nodded, signaling for Korra to go on.

"I've noticed how you've never said it back to me. At first it sort of bothered me," Korra admitted, and she saw Kuvira wince out of the corner of her eye. "So for two years I was stuck thinking whether you actually loved me back or not. It was a painful thought, in all honesty. But when I got to Ka'li, and I saw you again, I realized how selfish I was being.

"I wanted you to say those three words to me just because I wanted verbal confirmation. But then I saw that I didn't _need_ that from you. Because Kuvira, everything you do for me speaks 'I love you.' The way you look at me when I'm bending or telling you a story or even when I'm just talking to you, there's this look of pure admiration in your eyes.

"The way you hold me – being in your arms makes me feel so safe, like you won't let anything hurt me, and I know I'd do the same for you. The way you _trust_ me with your emotions – you tell me the things hidden in the dark recesses of your mind that you'd never share with anyone else.

"Heck, even the way you kiss me lets me know that you love me. I can literally _feel_ the passion you put into each kiss we share no matter how short it might be. I was an idiot to think that I needed you to say those words to me, because in reality you are the embodiment of love…at least for me you are.

"I can tell that you've changed. You truly wanted to, and now that we're together, I can see that you're more compassionate, patient, and kind. You're _happier_ Kuvira, and that's all I ever wanted for you…"

"The first time you visited me in prison, I knew you were my second chance. Back then, I felt as if I was drowning in a flood. Every time I managed to push above the surface, something would always come along and toss me back under again. But then you came, and you were like an aircraft hovering above the water. You were reaching out to me. You wanted to pull me out of the water. And you did. You saved my life Korra, in more ways than you think."

Kuvira paused as she decided how to word her next thought. She was a little tongue-tied right now, which was shocking to her considering she was always so good at talking her way through things. But Korra was right; love isn't something she could just talk her way through now. Kuvira had always tried to show Korra she felt the same way, and it relieved her to know that the Avatar had, in fact, realized what she was doing.

"I've been afraid of my feelings for the longest time," Kuvira started. "Even when Su took me in, I was nervous to get too close to anyone. I was afraid that if I let myself grow too attached to Su, she would let me down just like my parents had. So I distanced myself. Su recognized that, and instead of pushing for me to let her in, she let me be. While I was thankful for that at first once she gave me a position as one of her guards, I couldn't help but think that she was supposed to be a mother figure for me, so shouldn't she have still tried to get closer to me even if her efforts kept ending up in vain?

"But I quickly saw that she was just trying to do what she thought was the right thing at the time. I mean, isn't that what we all do? Yet, the more I distanced myself, the more I realized just how lonely I became. Sure I held friendships, but no one was ever able to break down the walls I had put around my heart. I wouldn't let them.

"I spent the majority of my life living like that. It wasn't until I was in the Spirit World with you did I realize that breaking down and being vulnerable wasn't a bad thing. I had kept my thoughts and emotions pent up inside me for the longest time, and then you managed to get through to me. You never gave up on me. You could see that I was vulnerable because you had felt that way many times before. You could see that I was still the scared eight year-old I was when I was left by my parents."

Kuvira was then pulled into a warm hug by Korra. The Avatar buried her face into the crook of Kuvira's neck, and she pressed a soft kiss to the base of the metal bender's neck. Kuvira smiled as she leaned into Korra's lips, and she held the younger woman closer to her if that was even possible.

"I was afraid to say those words to you," Kuvira whispered, running her hand through Korra's short hair, finding comfort in the soft, silky fibers as they ran across her palm.

"Why?" Korra returned, her warm breath tickling Kuvira slightly as it ghosted over her skin.

"I wanted to be sure of my feelings first. I didn't want to say them to you too early and then have something happen between us. If that happened, I'd feel like I was lying to you."

"And…are you sure now?" Korra lifted her head and gazed up at Kuvira, affection laced through her eyes as they reflected the light of the setting sun.

"Yes," Kuvira answered, her voice soft but unwavering as she used her free hand to cup Korra's cheek. "I needed time…a lot, I guess you could say. But when I finally came to terms with how I felt for you I knew there was no turning back, and quite frankly I didn't want to turn away from them either. But it's all clear to me now.

"Korra, I love you, and I promise I'll always be here for you."

* * *

 

"So…um…"

"How do we start this?"

"Do I look like I know?" Korra blushed as she looked down at Kuvira.

"Well…I just – um…maybe we should…I don't know…" Kuvira sighed and groaned softly as she rested her forehead against Korra's chest.

"How about we start with this?" Korra got out, and she tugged lightly on the hem of Kuvira's tank top.

Kuvira nodded, and she slowly slipped her tank top off. She tossed it onto the floor, and she avoided Korra's eyes for the moment.

"Really? You're getting modest with me _now_?" Korra teased. The metal bender blushed in return.

Korra's eyes roamed across Kuvira's torso. This wasn't the first time she had seen the metal bender without a shirt. Although, the last time she had, Kuvira's stomach was covered in bruises. But now her skin was clear. Well…almost.

Korra guided her hands across the soft, pale skin, feeling Kuvira's abdominal muscles tense beneath her touch as she ran her fingers lightly over the faint scars on Kuvira's stomach.

"Fights in prison," Kuvira whispered, answering Korra's unspoken question as to how she had gotten the scars.

"You're okay now," Korra said back as she leaned forward, lightly pressing her lips to Kuvira's cheek.

Kuvira nodded and looked back to Korra, her eyes sadder now, yet they still held the love that was in them when they entered the bedroom. The metal bender took in a deep breath as she pulled Korra's own shirt off her, and it soon joined her tank top on the floor. The Avatar wrapped her arms loosely over Kuvira's shoulders, and the older woman rested her back against the bed board.

Kuvira noticed the beginnings of Korra's own scars on her shoulders, but she decided to leave asking about them for another day. Now, she just wanted to focus on loving every part of the Avatar with all her heart.

Korra was a little surprised when Kuvira leaned forward, pressing their bodies together as she trailed her lips across the scars on Korra's shoulders. The metal bender's arms circled tightly around Korra's waist, her way of making sure they were as close as possible.

"You're beautiful," Kuvira whispered, moving her lips up Korra's neck.

Korra tilted her head slightly, giving Kuvira better access, and she couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her as Kuvira's lips glided over a more sensitive spot on her neck.

Kuvira continued the movement of her lips, lightly trailing them along Korra's jaw before she reached the Avatar's mouth. Korra didn't hesitate as she engaged Kuvira in a slow and passionate kiss, their tongues instantly meeting while their lips moved perfectly and effortlessly with each other.

Kuvira was the first to initiate more this time as she tugged Korra's bra over her head, separating their lips for only a short moment. Korra broke the kiss again, leaving both of them taking deep breaths of air, and she grinned back at Kuvira.

"You too," she said, and Kuvira couldn't help the small laugh that left her as she smiled softly.

"Okay, fine…" she said back, and an intense blush came to the metal bender's cheeks as she slipped her own bra off.

They sat there for a few moments – Korra straddling Kuvira's waist as the older woman's hands rested loosely on Korra's hips. They took in each other's bodies, Korra pushing some of Kuvira's hair out of her face so she could look into her lover's eyes more clearly.

Korra knew Kuvira was still self-conscious from the way the metal bender wouldn't meet her eyes now. The Avatar thought it was endearing though. She never pegged Kuvira out as someone who would feel modest about their body simply because she always acted so confident most of the time. Korra took in the smooth curve of Kuvira's breasts – the perfect skin that was there such a sharp contrast to the rest of her scarred body.

"I love you…" Korra whispered, tracing her fingers along the curve of her lover's breasts, not wanting to seem like she was pushing the metal bender too quickly. Yet she still felt Kuvira tense beneath her from the contact.

"I l-love you too," Kuvira said back as she brought her eyes to Korra's again. Kuvira pulled Korra against her again, needing to be as close as she could be to her, and the Avatar let out a small yelp of surprise as their bare breasts pressed against each other.

Korra rested her forehead against Kuvira's, both women breathing out softly, thinking about the decision they were making with each other.

"Are you sure?" Korra asked quietly, lightly running her thumbs across Kuvira's cheeks.

"Yes."

Korra nodded as she lifted her hips so she had enough room to slip her pants off, and it wasn't until she started on Kuvira's pants did she stop as she heard the metal bender take in a sharp breath.

"Kuvira, we can always stop for now and wait for when you feel more comfortable," Korra said gently.

"I've been waiting for over two years Korra," Kuvira whispered in return, a hint of playfulness in her voice, and she gave Korra a small nod. The Avatar laughed for a short moment.

Korra kissed Kuvira slowly as she slid the metal bender's pants down her legs, and once they were low enough Kuvira kicked them off. The Avatar got rid of her panties next as the desire began to burn stronger within her. She wanted Kuvira more than anything now.

Kuvira was hesitant to do so, but she eventually followed after Korra, slipping her own panties off. She felt awkward again when Korra pulled away from the kiss. She had never been so _vulnerable_ like this with someone before.

"So…um, what now?" Korra asked, which managed to register a small grin from Kuvira.

"Does it look like I know?" Kuvira returned, raising an eyebrow as she mocked Korra.

"Well, I certainly don't know what I'm doing."

"And do you think I'll know any better than you?"

"Um…no?"

"You're cute."

"You're sexy."

"Way to one-up me."

They fell silent soon after, although soft smiles still remained on their faces. They both looked at each other with so much love in their eyes, and in that moment they made a silent promise to each other that they would always stay together no matter how hard things might get in the future.

"I might be really bad at this," Kuvira said randomly, and she blushed soon after as Korra giggled lightly.

"Well…I might be too. I guess we'll find out though."

"Okay...c-can I?" Kuvira looked up to Korra. She never thought she would ever be this shy about anything. But she figured she had a reason to be. After all, they were taking and giving the most intimate parts of themselves to each other.

"I want you to," Korra said softly, and she lightly pressed their lips together as she guided Kuvira's hand around her waist. Although she didn't show it, Korra was nervous. She wanted Kuvira so much but at the same time she was afraid to give herself to someone like this. But she knew she wouldn't regret it. She loved Kuvira, and she wanted Kuvira to love her now.

Kuvira pressed her lips a little harder against Korra's, nervous as well, for she didn't want to let Korra down. But after a few more moments of her hand resting on the inside of Korra's thigh, Kuvira let all her hesitations and worries go, and instead she just focused on loving Korra as best as she could.

Their kiss broke suddenly, and Korra let out a louder moan than she had wanted to as she felt Kuvira enter her. One hand gripped tightly at Kuvira's shoulder, while the other tangled in the metal bender's thick raven hair.

Kuvira was enamored with the feeling of being inside Korra – her lover's walls were already slick, and they were inviting to her as she pushed a second finger into Korra.

The Avatar whined out, her eyes closing as nothing but pleasure came to her, and she bucked her hips lightly into Kuvira's hand, silently asking the metal bender to continue.

Kuvira obeyed, her fingers working gently and slowly in and out of Korra. She trailed soft kisses down Korra's neck, stopping at the spot she remembered to be sensitive. She nipped at Korra's skin just hard enough to leave a light red mark on the Avatar's tan skin, and she quickened the pace of her fingers as she heard Korra let out a breathy moan of her name.

Korra was in absolute bliss right now, and she allowed Kuvira to flip their positions so she was the one pressed flat onto the bed. She locked her legs around Kuvira's waist, bringing the metal bender even closer to her, forcing her lover's fingers deeper inside her. And Korra soon felt a pressure building within her as Kuvira's fingers began hitting a spot that drove her crazy. She could feel the thin coating of sweat on her skin as she dug her nails lightly into Kuvira's shoulders.

"K-Kuvira…I'm cl-cl…" Korra didn't finish her sentence as Kuvira curled her fingers inside the Avatar, and it was enough to push Korra over the edge.

Korra had never felt this much pleasure course through her all at once. And soon she was seeing stars – her eyes shut tightly as she raked her nails down Kuvira's back, no doubt leaving a trail of marks on the older woman's skin, and she bit into Kuvira's shoulder to muffle her scream of her lover's name.

Kuvira slowed her pace as she felt Korra's walls tighten around her fingers, and she winced slightly as the Avatar's teeth connected with her skin. Korra arched into Kuvira, and the metal bender wrapped her free arm around Korra's waist once the Avatar joined their lips for a long moment. And when Korra pulled away to take in deep breaths, Kuvira heard soft cries coming from the woman beneath her.

"Korra? Are you okay?" Kuvira asked softly, running the back of her hand down Korra's cheek. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I just love you so much…" Korra whispered as her breathing began to steady a little, and Kuvira wiped the tears off Korra's cheeks.

"I love you too Korra." Kuvira smiled softly as she rolled off of the Avatar and lied next to her on the bed. Korra cuddled into her chest, and the metal bender wrapped her arms securely around Korra's waist once she pulled the blanket over them.

Korra looked up to Kuvira, and she played with the older woman's hair, twirling it around her finger and running her hands through it, further ruffling it before she kissed Kuvira softly for a short moment. And once she pulled away, Kuvira saw the dorky grin on Korra's lips.

"Well…that happened," Korra breathed out, and a light laugh escaped Kuvira as she ran her hands softly up and down Korra's back, her fingers tracing small patterns across the Avatar's shoulder blades and down her spine, causing the younger woman to shiver slightly.

"Yeah, I guess it did," Kuvira mumbled back, pressing her lips to Korra's cheek.

"And…leave it to me to make it awkward after we just made love for the first time…"

"I think we were both pretty awkward at first," Kuvira said, brushing some of Korra's hair out of her face.

"Mhmm…" Korra let out a yawn, and Kuvira just smiled lovingly back at the Avatar as she continued to hold her in her arms – somewhat protectively, Korra realized. "I'll never lose you, right?" Korra managed to get out as sleep began to consume her.

"Never. I'll always be with you," Kuvira whispered.

"Promise me?"

"I promise Korra."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

* * *

 

Korra woke up the next morning still cuddled close to Kuvira. A wide smile instantly split her lips as she kissed the metal bender's chest, causing Kuvira to stir slightly.

"Morning," Korra whispered, lightly pressing her lips to Kuvira's.

The older woman slowly opened her eyes, her green orbs still dark from sleep, but they immediately brightened once they met Korra's.

"Good morning, my love," Kuvira said softly, kissing the tip of Korra's nose, causing the Avatar to let a gentle giggle escape her.

"Always charming," Korra deadpanned, yet her blue eyes reaming bright as she looked lovingly back to Kuvira.

"I try." Kuvira flashed what truly was one of the most charming smiles Korra had ever seen, and the Avatar swore she just fell in love with Kuvira all over again.

"Um…don't be surprised if we get weird looks from Asami when we go down for breakfast," Korra said.

"Why?"

"Because this room is right above hers."

It was all worth it for Korra once Kuvira's face lit up on fire, and the metal bender hid her face in her hands as she groaned loudly.

"This is so embarrassing…" Kuvira mumbled into her palms.

"It's only embarrassing for me. She's probably gonna ask me about it and I'll be the one stuck there having to admit it."

"Sucks to suck."

Korra playfully hit Kuvira on her shoulder. "I mean, she's my best friend, so ya never know, it might not really be that awkward."

"Possibly," Kuvira said, emphasizing the word.

"Oh shut up… Now come on, let's get dressed."

"Ugh…why?"

"Because, we have to go to breakfast, and if we show up late together then Tenzin and his entire family will know that something is up between us. And…I'd rather _not_ have them figure it out right now."

"Okay, okay…I see your point," Kuvira said, and she gave Korra a soft kiss on her lips before she rolled out of bed. "And stop checking out my ass," she added with a smirk as she grabbed her other clothes that were clean, and she headed off to the bathroom to change as she still felt a little self-conscious about her body even though she knew Korra enjoyed the view.

She left the Avatar lying in bed, Korra's face on fire before she fell back onto the mattress with a groan of embarrassment.

* * *

 

"How are you and Asami doing?" Korra asked as she walked along the waterfront with Kuvira, their bare feet sinking into the sand.

"Better. She actually made the first effort to talk to me. I can see that she's really trying to forgive me, but it'll take much more time than we both think."

"She'll come around to it…I know she will."

Kuvira nodded and took one of Korra's hands in her own, and the Avatar instantly smiled once their fingers were laced together.

Nearly a month had passed since they made love for the first time, and quite a few nights like that followed as Korra and Kuvira fell even more in love with each other. They never really needed to tell anyone that they were together, as Pema and even Tenzin quickly realized they were a couple – from the stolen glances to the way they smiled at each other, it wasn't hard to tell they were in love.

Of course, this discovery didn't come without punishment – and that punishment was Meelo asking a ton of different questions, directing them mostly at Korra. 'Why would you date her? She tried to kill you!' and 'She's nothing but a ruthless dictator! How could you even like her?' were among the most common ones. Korra constantly reminded Kuvira that Meelo was always very brash, so she shouldn't take his accusations too seriously.

Jinora, on the other hand, found it admirable in a way. She would often ask Korra questions about how she was able to forgive Kuvira and when she realized she might have feelings for the ex-Great Uniter. Korra actually found herself enjoying those conversations with Jinora, and she would often invite Kuvira to join them as well. Jinora also found it very intriguing to hear Kuvira's point of view of it all. She especially enjoyed hearing about the many interesting things that happened to Kuvira along her journey.

Jinora ended up being the first to forgive Kuvira. She was able to see past Kuvira's mistakes and understand that she was just trying to do the right thing. Jinora was genuinely happy for Kuvira, especially since she was able to find happiness with Korra.

And Kuvira had never loved anyone as much as she loved Korra. Every moment she was with the Avatar she felt light, giddy…free, in a way. She was able to let go of all her worries when Korra was by her side.

They continued to grow and work at certain things within their relationship though. Kuvira's temper was one of those things. It was tough for Korra to go through it sometimes; she never really got a grasp of what phrases really ticked the metal bender off, but the more it happened, Korra realized that most of the things that still got to Kuvira were about her childhood or the mistakes she had made in her life.

But Kuvira was getting better at holding it in. If Korra crossed some sort of line, the metal bender would contain her anger as best as she could, and then she would take some time to be alone. She would hurl masses of earth around one of the sparring areas, or she would get Bolin to fight with her so she could let off steam.

Although, they only found out that this was the best way to handle Kuvira's rage two weeks ago, which meant that in the three weeks when Korra tried to push through Kuvira's snappy temper, she would only end up further angering the metal bender. And as much as Kuvira tried to hold it in, she couldn't control herself when the rage grew too strong. And once she was at her breaking point when she and Korra had been arguing enough already, Korra would say the one thing that always caused her to snap.

Korra always blamed herself for it. She clearly knew it was her fault. They both got so angry at each other sometimes, and while Korra was the kind of person to walk away from an argument, Kuvira wasn't. The Avatar kept failing to realize that, so she would always push Kuvira further and further until the metal bender couldn't take it anymore. And then she just had to take it way too far and say something that directly hurt Kuvira.

Korra was never in her right mind when they argued or fought, but she knew soon after that the things she said were hurtful. She knew that the physical pain Kuvira caused her sometimes could never measure up to the mental torture she put the metal bender through with her words. She knew she just brought it upon herself. She knew she deserved it when Kuvira hit her…

But that didn't happen anymore. Kuvira had an effective way to blow off her anger, and Korra was glad they were able to find something for her. Korra knew that Kuvira never wanted to hurt her. She always saw how destroyed the metal bender was once she realized she had struck Korra whenever she came down from her state of enmity.

Once they had gotten that issue straightened out for the most part, their relationship was nothing but care and love. They knew when to comfort one another and when to leave each other alone. They made up from their fights quickly now, as they didn't want to let an argument about a trivial matter come between them. And Korra had slowly drawn Kuvira out of her fear of showing her face in Republic City.

They had visited small sections of the city first. Korra had taken Kuvira out to dinner a few times at some of Bolin's favorite noodle places, and since they were small restaurants, not many people made a big fuss about Kuvira being there. In fact, when Korra told them she was there to apologize, most people accepted her and treated her like she had done nothing wrong.

It was a good feeling for Kuvira. She thought that maybe she'd truly be able to get back on the right path and start over with the people of Republic City just like she had done with Korra and the rest of the airbenders.

"So...do you want to do anything today, or are we just going to keep walking all the way around Air Temple Island?" Korra asked, drawing Kuvira out of her thoughts as she pursed her lips for a moment, and she glanced over to Kuvira.

"Honestly, I'd be fine with walking around this island," Kuvira said, teasing the Avatar as she pulled Korra against her.

"Ugh…you're impossible!" Korra exclaimed, playfully swatting Kuvira away. "Let's do something fun!"

"And what might be included in your definition of fun?"

"Hm…" Korra tapped her chin in mock deep thought before a sly grin came to her face. She had actually planned this moment two weeks ago, and she had asked Asami's opinion on it, to which her best friend happily agreed to help her with it.

She had gone into Republic City with Asami to see Tonraq, who was staying in the city during his visit to see Korra. The Avatar explained her situation to her father, and while it took Tonraq a moment to get over the fact that Korra was in love with Kuvira, he gladly accepted their relationship and agreed to help Korra as well.

"Let's get married," Korra said abruptly.

"Well…that certainly sounds fun," Kuvira answered, nudging Korra with her elbow as a light-hearted laugh escaped her.

"No, I'm serious Kuvira." Korra stopped walking and turned to the metal bender, who now had a quizzical expression on her face. "This…is gonna sound crazy…"

"Well, as long as it's with you, I love crazy," Kuvira said back, giving Korra a dorky grin as she kissed the Avatar softly on her cheek.

"Good." Korra smiled as she pulled a small black box from her pocket, and she got down on one knee in front of Kuvira. "Because I'm asking you to marry me," Korra said as she opened the box, revealing the betrothal necklace her father had helped her pick out. It was simple; it had the southern Water Tribe symbol in the center, and Korra had added her own touch to it by engraving 'Forever' on the symbol.

"Korra…yes…" Kuvira whispered, and she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. But they were happy tears. She couldn't process all the emotions coursing through her – there were so many of them, but the one that stood out most prominently…was love.

"I figured you wouldn't want one that was too flashy because…well, yeah…so when I saw this one, I knew it was good, because it wasn't too fancy but it also wasn't too dull. Personally, I think - ,"

"Will you just put the necklace on me already, because if you keep rambling like that I'll change my mind," Kuvira teased, her voice light as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Wow okay, that's harsh," Korra said. She stood up and kissed Kuvira for a short moment before she took the necklace out of the box and clipped it around Kuvira's neck. "It looks beautiful on you," Korra whispered. "And…that was probably the least romantic proposal ever, but - ,"

"Korra…I love it. I love you," Kuvira cut in as she pulled the Avatar against her into a tight embrace, and the Avatar threw her arms around Kuvira's shoulders in return. Korra allowed her feet to be taken off the ground as Kuvira spun her around, and Kuvira's smile was uncontrollable as she sighed out happily once she set Korra back onto the ground.

Korra glanced down at the betrothal necklace, a goofy smile coming to her face once she pictured what their wedding would look like. She didn't want this with anyone else. Kuvira was perfect, and they were going to live a perfect life together. She kept one arm over Kuvira's shoulder while her other hand took Kuvira's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Forever?" Korra said, looking back at Kuvira, her own eyes stained with tears of joy.

"Forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: aslkfasjfhaosihfleihs *dies* LONG NOTE BUT PLEASE READ PLS PLS PLS.
> 
> Anyway…hoped you guys enjoyed this. I know I certainly did! I didn't necessarily want to write more about Korra visiting Kuvira in prison again. Instead, I wanted to focus on what happened after Kuvira got out and how their relationship developed from there.
> 
> I didn't want to make the sex too graphic, so I hope I wrote it well enough for it to be pleasing enough while still conveying the emotions Korra and Kuvira share. Personally, I really enjoyed writing their first time together. And no, it wasn't just because Korvira sex is one of the best things about life. I really liked writing how even though both characters display this hard outer-shell, they still manage to bring out each other's vulnerabilities. Also, I liked how their first time was awkward to start…it made it cuter.
> 
> And I know some of you might not have liked the whole issue of Kuvira physically abusing Korra at one point, but it was an issue I wanted to address because I'm planning a short that solely focuses on that topic. I just wanted to say that, even though I'm sure Korra and Kuvira could work things out, I feel like Kuvira would have extreme anger issues considering she didn't really show any strong emotions in LoK until the end. This makes me believe that if Kuvira was in a relationship with Korra, it might end up being an abusive one for a short while until they're able to work through the issue with each other.
> 
> And the whole "Forever? Forever" thing is based off the "Okay? Okay" from The Fault In Our Stars. Idk I thought it was really cute to picture Korra and Kuvira saying something like that to each other.
> 
> Thanks for all the great feedback on this so far though! As always, if you have any suggestions just leave them in your review or a PM and I'll put them on my list!
> 
> Happy reading! And since I won't update for 2-3 weeks probably since school starts again next week *groans*…happy New Year!
> 
> \- A


	4. Stay With Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this idea popped into my head randomly…it's sad. There's nothing happy or fluffy about this short. Sorry not sorry. It's just one tsunami of emotions that will drown you in its current. Enjoy :)
> 
> No but seriously, it's really sad. You might cry. Then again you might not…but I know I cried when I planned this out xP
> 
> Again, italics indicate a memory.

Title: Stay With Me

Universe: Canon but alternate plot in which Korra isn't saved at the battle of Zao Fu. Korra and Kuvira also met when they were younger.

Korrasami: Not canon

Summary: Korra and Kuvira had been childhood friends, and as time went on it developed into something more. But once Korra began going off with her duties as the Avatar, she left Kuvira without another word.

POV: Third person omniscient

Rating: M for violence, language, and mature themes

Trigger warning: Suicide

* * *

 

_When she had been notified that Avatar Korra had returned from her three year period of healing and isolation, Kuvira didn't know whether to feel relieved or angry. She figured a combination of both would soon put her emotions into a train wreck._

" _After everything we had…" Kuvira had muttered to herself. "And she just threw it all away."_

_But the metal bender quickly found out that Korra didn't' even remember her at all. When she had talked to the Avatar outside of Zao Fu, Korra simply looked past her as if she was just another threat to deal with._

_This left Kuvira heartbroken yet again. However, she later discovered that after Korra's battle with Unalaq, her memory had been damaged, and she had lost many things from her past._

_While this brought Kuvira some understanding, she couldn't help but feel betrayed by Korra. The Avatar had left her alone. After all the trust they had between them and after all the nights they spent with each other… Kuvira wanted to forgive Korra for simply dropping off the face of the earth for three years, but Kuvira wasn't necessarily the most forgiving person out there…_

* * *

 

"You think you can just fucking leave me like that?!" Kuvira shouted, and she dodged a massive rock Korra had hurled at her.

"Look…I don't even know what you're talking about!" Korra yelled back as she deflected several of Kuvira's sharpened metal bands that had been flung at her chest.

"Of course you don't…" Kuvira muttered, and she easily evaded Korra's streams of fire that were projected at her.

Once Korra had accepted her challenge to duel it out for Zao Fu, Kuvira was instantly set into a murderous rage. Here was the woman she had loved – _still_ loved – ready to fight her, potentially to the death, to protect a city. But the fact that Kuvira still held feelings for Korra didn't sway her from her anger. After all, Korra was willing to hurt Kuvira to keep her away from Zao Fu…and now, Kuvira was willing to hurt Korra ten times over just for the pain the Avatar had caused her all those years ago.

They switched often from the offensive to the defensive, and Kuvira had sidestepped some of Korra's attacks by the skin of her teeth at some points. They had gone almost ten minutes without actually hitting one another yet, and both women could feel the fatigue setting in on their bodies.

But it wasn't until Kuvira managed to strike Korra in the arm with one of her metal bands did she realize that she might actually win this fight. All previous feelings put aside for the Avatar, Kuvira quickly went into attack mode.

She moved swiftly, easily moving away from Korra's tries to defend herself, and she landed another metal band to Korra's other arm. The bands wrapped around Korra's wrists, preventing her from moving her hands and ultimately preventing her from bending any of the elements. Kuvira didn't hesitate as she lifted Korra off the ground through her metal bending power and quickly slammed the Avatar back into the earth. She heard Korra's muffled cry of pain, and it only brought a smirk to Kuvira's face.

"Well…it looks like the Avatar is a little off her game," Kuvira taunted, releasing Korra from the restraints of the metal bands as she readied herself for another attack.

Korra looked back up at her with weak eyes, and as she stood up, Kuvira noticed the way she put more pressure on her right foot. When she glanced down, she saw that Korra's left foot seemed weaker, and she knew the Avatar must have damaged it when she dropped her to the ground.

Korra let out a groan of frustration as she launched attack after attack at Kuvira, pushing through the constant pain in her foot. She managed to launch a sharpened piece of earth she had bended at the metal bender, and it struck Kuvira along her arm, tearing through her uniform and taking a piece of her flesh with it.

Kuvira stifled her cry of pain as she felt the blood begin to pour down her arm, staining the sleeve of her uniform. But she quickly pushed it away as she countered Korra's next round of attacks. She didn't allow the numbing pain to get to her, and she sent blocks of earth erupting from the ground towards Korra, and the Avatar wasn't quick enough on her feet as soon she went tumbling onto the ground. Korra clutched her stomach where one of the blocks had hit her, and she tried to get back on her feet, but found that her legs could not support her.

Once she realized this, Korra looked down, only to be greeted with the sight of one of Kuvira's metal bands – sharpened, she noticed – speared through her right thigh. As she addressed the injury, the pain came crashing down on her, and Korra fell back onto the ground with a loud groan of anguish as the blood gushed out of the wound.

Kuvira looked on, a smirk still playing on her face, and she calmly walked over to Korra, again disregarding the pain in her arm.

Although, she underestimated the Avatar, because when she reached the injured woman, she was suddenly grabbed by the collar of her forest green uniform and was held to the ground.

Korra's hands were strong at her neck, and Kuvira gasped and struggled for air as she looked back into Korra's burning blue eyes. The metal bender thought the Avatar had her beat for a moment, until she noticed Korra couldn't move her legs. So, she flicked her wrist, constructing a jagged blade from the remaining metal plates on the arm of her uniform. And without any hesitation she slashed it across Korra's arm, creating a deep gash in the Avatar's flesh.

She didn't bother to wipe the blood off that sprayed onto her face.

"Do you really not remember _anything_?" Kuvira hissed. She dropped to her knees in front of Korra so they could see eye to eye. There was nothing showing in the metal bender's own green orbs; no guilt, no pain, no regret. There was nothing. Her eyes were just…empty.

"If I did…would it change…anything?" Korra rasped out, her voice soft and weak, her strength deteriorating more from the pain coursing through her whole body now.

Kuvira let out a dry, mocking laugh at Korra's question. "It would change so much Korra…" she said in return before she yanked the metal blade out of Korra's leg. The Avatar collapsed onto the ground again, her body shuddering as tremors of agony crashed through her. Kuvira almost smiled at the sight.

* * *

 

" _What's one thing you will always promise me?" Korra asked, and she shifted her position slightly in the bed to look at an eighteen year-old Kuvira lying next to her._

" _I'll promise you everything," Kuvira whispered, shifting her eyes from staring out of her bedroom window to rest on the seventeen year-old Avatar._

" _But what's one thing that – no matter what our situations is – you'll always hold onto? One wish or promise you have for us?" Korra put her arms around Kuvira's shoulders, and the metal bender leaned into the younger girl._

" _One thing above all…I will always love you," Kuvira answered, pressing a soft kiss to Korra's temple. "I know it may sound cheesy or whatever…but it's true. I don't care if we fight or if we break up or something like that in the future; my affection and love for you will never go away."_

_They sat in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company. Korra had a wide smile on her face from Kuvira's promise, and she breathed out happily as she laid her head on Kuvira's chest._

" _What about you?" Kuvira said._

" _What?"_

" _What's something you'll always promise_ me _?"_

_Korra lifted her head again as she looked into Kuvira's eyes. She never imagined loving someone this much or having this kind of connection with someone. But now that those things happened, she knew Kuvira was the only person she would want this with._

" _I promise I'll never leave you."_

* * *

 

Korra refused to let Kuvira beat her. Even through the agonizing pain, she didn't quit. There was no way she was going to let this end now. She thought Kuvira was insane. If Kuvira claimed to be such an important part of her life in the past, wouldn't she remember despite her memory being damaged from her fight with Unalaq?

Korra didn't necessarily want to dwell on it though, since the only thought running through her mind right now was to _stay alive._ She wanted to go into the Avatar State. She knew that if she was able to do that, she would certainly defeat Kuvira. However, she was too weak to do so, so instead she used what little strength she had left.

The Avatar lunged suddenly, startling herself as well as Kuvira with her quickness despite her injuries, and she landed her right fist – the fist on her arm that wasn't sliced open – square into Kuvira's nose, and both women heard the loud crack of bone before Kuvira finally let a cry of pain escape her lips.

Korra then tackled Kuvira to the ground, and she slammed her fist into the metal bender's face again, this time to her jaw. The blood poured freely from Kuvira's nose, and the pain was a nonstop throb throughout her entire face, but the Great Uniter refused to quit as well, even if Korra's sudden strength was a bit alarming to her.

However, before Kuvira could get a chance to fight back, she felt a burning sensation on her neck; a burning that seared her skin as she let out a scream from the pain. Her mind was so numb from the sensation it took her a split second longer to realize that Korra was pressing her palm against her neck, bending a steady stream on fire against her skin.

Kuvira panicked.

She wasn't going to lose to Korra. And in her fit of panic and anguish and rage, Kuvira pushed herself off the ground, easily crashing through the weak resistance Korra now held on her.

She drove her blade through Korra's stomach. And a wicked smile came to Kuvira's face as she did.

The burning stopped instantly, and Kuvira pushed Korra back onto her knees, further wedging her blade through the Avatar. Korra didn't even let out a noise of pain since it was so sudden.

But the Avatar was soon gripping at the blade impaling her midsection, and her hands brushed the other hand belonging to Kuvira to whom the blade was still attached to.

And that small contact was enough to snap Kuvira out of her murderous daze.

"Korra…" Kuvira whispered, and she looked down to see the Avatar's hands resting loosely on her hand still holding the blade.

Korra fell forward, collapsing against Kuvira's chest as she moved her hands, and she gripped tightly at the fabric of Kuvira's uniform as a small trickle of dark crimson began to leak from the side of her mouth.

She didn't want to die.

Kuvira rested her free hand on Korra's back between her shoulders and gently laid the Avatar back, and she held Korra against her as she looked down to the woman who had been the love of her life – who was _still_ the love of her life.

And once Korra looked up – her eyes dark as she felt herself slipping away – she remembered everything.

"K-Kuvira?" Korra got out, and she brought a shaky hand to rest on the metal bender's cheek.

"Korra…what did I do? I-I'm so sorry," Kuvira whispered as she looked down to the blade again, the realization hitting her like a freight train.

Korra let her hand drop, leaving a streak of blood on Kuvira's skin, but the metal bender didn't care.

"H-How do you remember?" Kuvira asked.

"Your eyes," Korra whispered back, and she managed a soft smile as she closed her own eyes for a moment.

It was the truth. The moment Kuvira's eyes had calmed, the moment Korra saw the _love_ that shone in those beautiful green orbs, she remembered all of it.

She remembered the day they met; she was ten, Kuvira was eleven, and they were visiting Zao Fu so her father could meet with Suyin about political businesses. Korra was still as obnoxious as ever about being the Avatar, and Kuvira had only laughed in delight whenever Korra would parade around, spewing bits of fire, water, and earth around her.

She remembered the day she had asked Kuvira out on a date. They had corresponded with letters once Korra returned to the Southern Water Tribe, and once she got word that she'd be visiting Zao Fu again, she had instantly written to Kuvira. She was fourteen when she first asked Kuvira on a date. Korra didn't even know what she was doing then when she asked. She didn't realize that once Kuvira said yes, they would stay in a relationship for over four years.

She remembered their first time together. She was sixteen. And it was awkward and sloppy, and neither of them knew exactly what they were doing. But it was so _loving_ that it was the greatest thing either of them had done with one another.

And then Korra remembered when she left. It was after her battle with Zaheer. She knew she needed time to herself, so she went home and spent three years alone. But she never wrote to Kuvira, nor did she have anyone inform the metal bender that she was taking time off from being the Avatar.

"I'm sorry…" Korra whispered, leaning her head against Kuvira's chest. "I left you. And I-I promised…that was the one thing…I wouldn't do…"

Kuvira felt the tears coming to her eyes. She knew she'd never forgive herself for this. She had let her anger and pain overtake her…and it cost her the most important person in her life.

"Don't break yours…" Korra continued.

Kuvira remembered what it was: _I'll always love you._ "I won't," she said, and she removed the metal blade from its place on her uniform, and once her hand was free, she clutched Korra's own hand, and the Avatar weakly linked their fingers together. "Right now and forever – after this – I will never stop loving you Korra."

She didn't want Korra to die. She wasn't ready. Kuvira had often thought about what she would do the day she lost Korra, but she never would have predicted it would be by her own hands. She still wanted – _needed_ Korra in her life. The Avatar was the only person who could truly keep her grounded and make her feel that her life was worth living.

"I…love you…Kuvira," Korra rasped out, her voice getting softer and weaker by the second.

Kuvira could see the life draining from her eyes. She could feel Korra's breathing shallow with every intake of air. She knew it was soon.

And for a rare moment in her life, Kuvira felt helpless.

"I love you too Korra. I always will. I'm s-so sorry. I-I didn't mean for th-this to h-happen," Kuvira got out in between her deep breaths as she tried to hold back her cries.

"It's okay…at least I'm where…I want…to be…"

Korra smiled softly.

And then her eyes closed.

"Korra?" Kuvira shook the Avatar slightly. "Korra no!" she shouted now, and the tears ran freely down her cheeks, confirming for her what she didn't want to accept.

"No…Korra…you promised you wouldn't leave me!"

Kuvira leaned over Korra's body and pressed their foreheads together. And even though Korra's grip on her hand was long gone, Kuvira still held onto it.

She wasn't ready to let go.

"Please…wake up…" Kuvira whispered, even though she knew it wasn't going to happen.

But then Kuvira realized that there was a way for them to always be together, to see each other, to keep their promises.

She wouldn't have to say goodbye.

The metal bender pulled her blade from Korra's stomach, not looking down as she didn't want to see what she had done to her only love.

"I love you so much…" Kuvira pressed a soft kiss to Korra's bloodstained lips as she blinked away more tears.

She had thought about doing this many times before, but she never had a clear-cut reason to do it. But now…Kuvira couldn't find a reason _not_ to do it.

She loved Korra. She always would…she promised her. Kuvira had never known love like she did when she was with Korra. The Avatar always made her feel better, she was always there for her, and she made Kuvira…happy. In fact, Korra was the last piece of happiness in Kuvira's life. The metal bender was sure of that.

And living a life without happiness was something Kuvira didn't want to go through again.

Kuvira held the blade to her neck, and her other hand still gripped tightly at Korra's. She could hear the pained cries of Suyin and Opal to stop. And even though they didn't want her to do this, Kuvira knew they couldn't prevent her. After all, she was the Great Uniter, and she always got what she wanted.

And Kuvira wanted to be with Korra.

Kuvira felt no pain; the blood that brought a warm sensation to her skin as it poured out of her neck was the only feeling Kuvira had in that moment. She looked down at Korra, and she smiled when she thought about how they would always keep their promises now.

"I hope…you can still…forgive me…" Kuvira whispered, but she already knew what Korra's response would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *sobs violently* tbh I really don't know what provoked me to write that…I still hoped you enjoyed it…maybe I got some emotions out of you with it.
> 
> I originally described the actual death scene in greater detail, but as I went back and edited this, I realized that the increased detail actually took away from the gravity of the scene. I don't describe many things dealing with the emotions simply because of this: You really can't put those kinds of emotions into words.
> 
> The phrases I use like "she didn't want Korra to die" or "she wasn't ready to let go" are so simple and almost vague in a way, but once you truly take it into the context of this scene, you recognize just how powerful simple phrases like these can be.
> 
> When you go through the death of a loved one…you can't describe it. There are no words to describe the death of someone close to you except maybe small phrases like the ones I used, because in reality, those phrases are really the only things you can come up with.
> 
> I promise the next short will be fluffy, cute, and happier!
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> \- A


	5. Always Starting Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD KEEP MY PROMISE ABOUT MAKING THIS SHORT HAPPY? HAH! Sorry but I get these random head canons and if I don't write them exactly how I imagine them then I'll probably forget it.
> 
> This one is sad as well…not necessarily in how it's written…it's more of the concept behind it.
> 
> It's written differently though…it's just dialogue. There are no descriptions of scenery, appearances, or interactions…it's literally just Kuvira talking to Korra or other characters. So, appearances/scenery is really up to you :P Anyway, I hope you like it.
> 
> Title is the song "Always Starting Over" from the musical If/Then. Go listen to it…it's a great song.

Title: Always Starting Over

Universe: Modern AU

Korrasami: Not canon; Asami and Korra don't know each other in this one

Summary: A series of conversations between Kuvira, Korra, and other characters – mostly between Korra and Kuvira, and Kuvira and Asami

Rating: M for language, references and implications of sexual situations, alcohol and drug abuse, and issues regarding mental health

POV: No set POV since it's just dialogue

Pairings: Korvira, Kuvirasami

* * *

_**Date: January 22** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2014** _

"You sure you don't want me to come with you? I can always buy a ticket right now. The flight isn't that crowded."

"Kuvira, I'm only going to be gone for a week and a half."

"I know…but I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. I'll call or text you every night. I promise."

"Okay. Do you really think this is gonna be the one?"

"Absolutely. The pay is higher, and there are job opportunities for you as well…good ones too."

"Chicago to Portland…interesting change I guess."

"It's gonna be great. I'll send you pictures while I'm there…maybe I'll take a look at some houses too."

"Yeah, that sounds good. Well…I'll see you soon."

"Of course. I love you Kuvira."

"I love you too Korra."

_**Date: January 26** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"How's the trip going?"

"It's great! The city is really nice, and I saw some houses yesterday…I think I found a place that would be good for us."

"Really?"

"Yeah! It's not too expensive either, and it's about fifteen minutes outside the city, so its location is perfect."

"Wow…that's really good."

"I'll send you the pictures later tonight! It's a nice place…I could picture us living here together."

"Korra, you say that about nearly every place you've - ,"

"I mean it! Portland is different. I don't know…I guess parts of it remind me of my own home in a way."

"Korra, your home was in Montana…"

"Shusshhh! But it's not as busy as Chicago and I think this is a place we can truly settle in for a while…maybe, I don't know, start a family even?"

"Korra…we've talked about this before, and - ,"

"Annnddd you've always given me the same answer: 'I'm not ready yet.' Kuvira, we've been together for almost four years now! I know you always say you aren't ready because you don't think you'd make a good mom, but I know you'd be awesome!"

"I just…I don't want to - ,"

"I know…and you won't. I promise Kuvira. Just because your parents messed up doesn't mean you will. Sure, we'll make some mistakes, but we'll always be there to guide each other through it."

"I-I guess it'll take me a little more time, but I never said I wasn't open to it. And you're right; maybe if we settle in Portland we can have a family together."

"I'll wait as long as you need. I love you."

"I love you too."

_**Date: January 30** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So you took the job?"

"Yup! They really needed another good surgeon here…and the other doctors and nurses seem really nice to work with!"

"That's great. I'm so happy Korra. Really…it's nice to know we can actually settle down somewhere now."

"Absolutely! Oh, and I looked up some job openings for you too; turns out there's one at a company called Future Industries. The place is really cool and they design and invent all kinds of cars and electronics and they design new buildings and…they basically do everything!"

"Wow…thanks Korra. That sounds amazing."

"Yeah…and since you're a genius it seemed like the perfect place for you!"

"Again, thank you. It sounds like a great opportunity. So…I'll see you in a few days?"

"Of course. I'll send you a text once we land."

"Great. I can't wait to have you back."

"Seriously Kuvira? I wasn't even gone for two weeks! You're such a baby!"

"Oh, come on! I'm going through 'Korra withdrawal' here, show me some sympathy!"

"You're ridiculous."

"But you love me."

"This is true."

"I'll see you soon. Fly safe. I love you Korra."

"I will. I love you more."

_**Date: February 2** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2014 7:52 pm** _

"Hey, this is my third message now…you were supposed to get in almost forty-five minutes ago. Did something happen?"

_**8:18 pm** _

"Okay, seriously Korra…I don't know if you're just waiting to – …holy shit…"

_**8:25 pm** _

"Fuck Korra…please tell me you're okay."

_**8:29 pm** _

"At this point I'm just praying you're alive."

_**9:08 pm** _

"I told you I should have gone with you…then we would still be together…"

_**Date: February 5** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Kuvira, come on…you can't stay in your apartment forever."

"Yes I can Bolin!"

"No you can't! I'm gonna get you out. You're going to come eat noodles with me, we can talk about things, and we can figure out a way to grieve together."

"This is how I grieve! I want to be alone! I-I'm sorry Bolin…I'm just not ready right now. My mind still won't let me believe it."

"I know Kuvira. It-It's hard for me too. I don't want to accept it either, but eventually you'll have to."

"I'll call you when I feel like going out okay? Whenever that is…but I'll at least text you if I don't go out to let you know that I'm still alive too."

"Don't even joke about that Kuvira."

"I'm not."

"No…you wouldn't do that."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Korra wouldn't want you to. Think about it…if Korra was here right now, what would she say to you?"

"…She'd tell me to get on with my life…"

"Exactly! You can't even deny it! Korra would want you to move on!"

"I can't move on right now! It takes more than a few days for someone to move on from the death of a loved one! We were together for nearly four years…how can I say goodbye to all of that so quickly?"

"I'm not telling you that you'll get better this instant. I'm just saying…at least come out with me…don't just wallow in your grief and let it consume you."

_**Date: February 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"I know you'll never pick up your phone ever again Korra…but I can't help but call. I miss the sound of your voice, and this is the only way I can hear it. I'm gonna tell the phone company not to disable your number. I feel like this is the only way I can still talk to you.

"Anyway…Bolin and I are arranging your funeral. Well, he's the one doing most of it. I can't handle going through that. It only burns the validity of your death into my mind.

"It's hard without you though. I'll be saying that for the rest of my life. Why did you have to leave me like this Korra? We-We were gonna h-have a life toge-gether…we were gonna st-start a family…"

_**Date: February 21** _ _**st** _ _**, 2014 7:30 pm** _

"Well…your funeral is in a couple days. I just helped Bolin out with the expenses for it. He picked out the casket and flowers and whatever other shit goes along with it. I can't believe I'm in fucking Montana for this. Why couldn't you have lived somewhere more normal…like Florida or something?

"I'm staying with your parents. Bolin, Mako, Wu, and some of your other friends came too. But shit, your parents haven't stopped crying since I got here last night. I feel guilty…like I'm a constant, living reminder of you. Fucking hell Korra, do you realize how many people you left behind?

"There are so many people who will never get over this! Why did you fucking leave?! After everything we went through, after what we had together…you just left all of that! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You left me alone in this world. You were the only person I truly loved, and you were also the only person who returned that love. And you just left it all…god, I fucking hate you…"

_**8:14 pm** _

"Korra, I'm so sorry for what I said. I didn't mean any of it. I could never hate you. Even when we fought and even when we walked out on each other those few times…I never hated you. I'll always love you. But you know that. I just – fuck, I was just so upset because you're gone and you're never coming back and I don't know how to handle this.

"I think I'm losing my mind Korra…and this time you won't be there to help me find it."

_**Date: February 23** _ _**rd** _ _**, 2014** _

"Your funeral was today. It was…sad. I don't really know how to describe it. Every one there was crying…even Mako. I was the only one who didn't cry though. I felt bad…I mean, I was your girlfriend and I wasn't crying at your funeral. Seems ridiculous right? I guess I just didn't have any tears left…

"When they had the casket open before everyone started arriving, I went and sat by you for nearly five hours. Yeah…I got up at like three in the morning. I needed some time alone with you. I think I cried the whole five hours too…

"It was a nice service though. It wasn't over the top religious either since I know how much you would have hated that. But…it was just the right amount. It was…nice. I guess that's all I can really come up with right now. I-I'm still having a hard time accepting it.

"Y-You're stone is gonna be up in a couple weeks too. I don't know what Bolin decided to put on it, but I'm sure it's good. He-He's been amazing with this whole thing. I know he was your best friend and…he's been trying his best to help me. It-It's hard, but he's managed to get me out a few times to go eat with him. It's nice to know he cares…

"I miss you Korra. I miss you so fucking much. You have no idea."

_**Date: March 22** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2014** _

"I think you'd like it Korra. I can basically hear Bolin saying the words on it. It says your name: Korra Mitchell, June 10th, 1991 – February 2nd, 2014. And then under that it says: Only the greatest person in the world. I think it's nice…I guess that's Bolin's own personal touch for remembering you."

_**Date: April 18** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"I'm moving."

"What?"

"You heard me Bolin…I'm moving. I need to get out of here."

"Why?"

"Too many memories. Everywhere I go, I'm reminded of Korra. I thought the pain might lessen if I kept living, but it turns out its only gotten worse. I come home every night to an empty place. I eat dinner alone. I fall asleep alone. I'm just…alone…all the time."

"But…I'm with you sometimes."

"I know. And I'm sorry Bolin. Truly, I am. But I can't come back here and live my life in a place where we've made so many memories. I'm trying to move on like I know Korra would want me to, but I can't do that here. I'm being held back by everything we had here together."

"I know that nothing I say will stop you, so at least let me help you with this."

"Okay."

"Where are you going?"

"Portland."

"Isn't that where you were gonna move with Korra?"

"Yes, but that didn't happen. I think I can start over if I go there."

"But why go there? There are so many other places you could move."

"I guess I want to hold onto a little bit of Korra. She told me how much she loved it when she visited and how she could see us living there together. I bought the house Korra was looking at. It's nice…and it's a chance for me to make new memories there."

"Oh…that…sort of makes sense? I don't know. But, if you'll be happy there then that's all that matters."

"I think I will be. Korra mentioned a good place for me to work too so…I'll be okay."

"I want you to be happy Kuvira."

"Me too. But I think that this is where I have to start to get there; I just need to be okay for a little while."

_**Date: April 29** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So…that's it then huh?"

"You really don't have to come with me."

"No, I want to Kuvira! I need to make sure you get settled and everything. Oooh! Maybe I can find a good noodle restaurant there!"

"This is the first time I've laughed in like, a month. Thanks Bolin. It means a lot."

"What…me coming with you or me making you laugh?"

"Both I guess."

_**Date: May 9** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Hey Korra… Well, I moved. I'm in Portland now. I thought it would be a nice change of scenery. Plus, Oregon is a pretty cool state I guess. I bought the house you were looking at. You were right; it is really nice. Uh…Bolin made the drive with me. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He's been helping me unpack so far and yes, he did find a really great noodle shop.

"Uh…I'm going to Future Industries tomorrow for an interview. I think I'll get the job though. I already told them some of my ideas and they loved them. I think this will be good for me though. I can start over and continue to live my life. I know you would want this for me. You always told me to keep moving forward and to let go of the things from my past that were holding me back from living a happy life.

"I miss you though. I-I don't even know if I'll be able to move on from this. I need you Korra. You keep me grounded and you _help_ me. You saved my life in more ways than you know, and I'm just afraid that, when Bolin leaves, if I get too upset I won't have anyone to talk me out of doing something really stupid."

_**Date: May 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"You must be Kuvira!"

"Yes, that's me."

"Welcome to Future Industries! I'm Varrick, an assistant of the CEO, Mr. Sato. And…I'm happy to tell you that you're hired!"

"Um…I haven't even had my interview for the job yet."

"Mr. Sato said he didn't need to interview you! He read over your ideas, and he wants to put one of them into action already!"

"Wait, really?"

"Of course! He wants you to work with his daughter on it."

"Oh…uh, wow…that's amazing. Really, I didn't expect him to think so highly of my ideas so quickly."

"Mr. Sato is keen on brilliant minds, which is why we're here! He wants you to come in again on Friday to meet his daughter and get you two working together. And I'll add…she's extremely attractive!"

"Um…thanks for telling me?"

"Hey, ya never know! Just…if you do happen to get it on with the boss's daughter, make sure you keep it a secret. Future Industries is a highly respected company and people might start rumors if they suspect anything is going on between the rookie at the company and a co-CEO."

"Yeah, uh…I don't think they'll have to worry about that. I mean, I'm not really – annddd you're gone…"

_**Date: May 13** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So…we're going to be working with each other on this new project. I like your idea."

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to working with you. I'm Kuvira, but…I'm sure you already know that."

"Yes, my father told me about you and how smart he thought you were. I'm sure we'll have some fun putting your ideas to work. And it's nice to meet you now…I'm Asami."

_**Date: May 15** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So I got the job…turns out I didn't even need to do an interview because Mr. Sato liked my ideas so much. In fact, I'm already working on one of them with his daughter. Asami is brilliant too. I think we can get a lot of good things done. We're working on developing a safer airbag system for cars. Remember how the company back in Chicago always turned me down because they said that car companies were already working on something like that? Well, Mr. Sato thinks that once an idea for a safer airbag is out there, it should be tested immediately.

"We've partnered up with Ford, so once we develop the airbag, they'll test it for us. This is really great for me Korra…I hate admitting it but…it's helping to take my mind off you already. It-It's not a bad thing, right? I mean, if I had stayed in that state where I constantly thought of you and how much I missed you, I don't think it would end well…I guess Bolin helped too. He was nice company, and now I have work, so I believe that I'm gonna get better.

"The phone company keeps asking me if I want to disable your number, and I keep telling them no. I can't do that. Maybe you really are listening on the other end? I can only hope. Plus, it helps me. I can vent to you about whatever, and in all honesty, I feel better once I hang up the phone.

"I uh – I still wish you were here though. I know you would be proud of what I'm doing. I love you Korra."

_**Date: May 24** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So I sent in the design to Ford, and they thought it looked good…said they believe it will definitely improve safety."

"Really? Wow! Asami, this is great! So, when can we start making it?"

"Next week. We need to finalize the design and map our work days out; like, what we want to accomplish first and whatnot."

"Yeah, absolutely. Just tell me when I need to come in."

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe we could meet for coffee and do it? My dad is going away to meet with another CEO in California tomorrow, so the actual building of Future Industries will be closed. The factory will still be open though."

"Oh…um, yeah, that's fine actually. Isn't there a Starbucks down the road from the headquarters?"

"Yeah! So that's okay for you?"

"Of course. When would you like to meet?"

"Um…let's do Tuesday around noon?"

"Sounds great. I'll see you then."

"Great. Bye Kuvira."

_**Date: May 25** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"I don't know why it happened tonight. It was so random Korra… I just – I felt this urge to do it. I couldn't stop thinking about you, about what we had, about what we were _going_ to have. Korra, we were planning on starting a family with each other! An-And now that's never going to happen. And I just kept th-thinking about h-how I might n-never love someone as much as I love-loved you.

"I didn't s-slee-sleep last ni-night. I was too b-busy dri-inking. I never drank like th-this bef-fore…but once I st-started I c-couldn't s-st-stop…It h-helped while it l-lasted though. And th-then the pain came b-back so I had to d-drink more…

"I'm s-sorry Korra. I don't kn-know wh-what else to d-do…"

_**Date: May 27** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Hey."

"Hey Asami."

"You look tired."

"I am."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Which means you aren't…"

"What?"

"You look upset. Maybe we should meet tomorrow?"

"No…really Asami, I'm fine. Thanks for the coffee, by the way."

"Of course. And I'll drop it, but I don't believe you for a second that you're fine."

"I'm not asking you to believe me. I'm asking you to not worry about me right now."

"Well that's wonderful, because now I _am_ going to worry about you. We're working on this project together, and I consider you my friend…of course I'm going to care about how you're doing."

"It was just a sleepless night okay? These last couple months have been…tough for me. I'll leave it at that. Now please…can we go over the designs?"

"Mhmm…but you have my number Kuvira; if you want to talk or…anything, just call me."

_**Date: May 30** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"You look even worse today."

"Are you always going to comment on how terrible my appearance is?"

"Well…until you actually start looking better then…yes, I am."

"Thanks."

"No problem. You also smell like alcohol."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do. Go home and take a shower."

"I'm already here."

"Kuvira…I will literally drag you back to your house. Take a shower, clean up, and get some rest."

"I can't sleep."

"Why not?"

"Too many thoughts…"

"I'm not going to push it."

"It's better if you didn't."

_**Date: June 2** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2014** _

"I'm visiting you on your birthday…I'm actually surprised I haven't been back since your funeral. I guess I got caught up in my work. Uh…let's see…my drinking has gotten worse. Asami even noticed a few days ago. I can't help it though. It numbs the pain. I wish you were here to tell me to stop…maybe I'd listen.

"Oh yeah…Asami is coming with me too. I told her I was gonna be out of town for a little more than a week. I didn't tell her the details about you or…us; I just said that someone close to me died and their birthday was coming up. I'm thinking about opening up to her…telling her about us and how much your death has destroyed me. I-I trust her enough. She certainly cares about me. She's always offering to talk or stay with me whenever I need it. Maybe she'll be the one to help me through this if I tell her. It wouldn't hurt to do it.

"I'll see you soon Korra. I love you."

_**Date: June 8** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Hey Kuvira."

"Hey Bolin."

"It's good to see you again."

"You too."

"Are you gonna tell Asami?"

"Yeah…I'll tell her when we're there. She really wants to help me."

"That-That's really good Kuvira. When are you going?"

"Probably around six."

"Okay…her parents are going in the morning, so you two will be alone."

"Okay."

_**Date: June 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Do you…need a moment alone?"

"No, it's okay. I think it might be better if you're standing next to me. Besides, I want to talk to you about her."

"Okay."

"She was my girlfriend."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…we knew each other for about six years, and we were together almost four years."

"That's a…pretty long time to date someone in this day and age."

"I guess. We weren't just dating. We were in love. We supported each other. We fought, and cried, and laughed, and smiled with each other. We talked about getting married and starting a family. But…none of that is going to happen now."

"Don't say that Kuvira. It can still happen."

"No…I can't love anyone else like I loved her."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do! …S-Sorry. I just get so upset. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay. I understand. But just…hear me out, okay?"

"Fine…"

"Just because you lost Korra doesn't mean you've lost love forever. Of course, she was a huge part of your life, and I'm sure you never thought you'd end up loving someone as much as you loved her. But just because she's gone doesn't mean your ability to love another person is gone too. I know I'm not in any position to speak for Korra since I didn't know her, but if you loved each other as much as you say you did, then she'd want you to move on.

"She'd want you to keep living. She'd want you to take all the love you still have and find a way to give it to someone else. She wouldn't want you to stay closed off to the world and to a second chance at happiness."

"That's all she wanted for me…was to be happy."

"Then find a way. Because love, happiness…whatever you want Kuvira, it's still out there, and Korra would want you to find it."

_**Date: June 17** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"I think visiting you with Asami helped me. I've cut back on the drinking, and I've made plans to see a therapist every two weeks. My first meeting with her was two days ago. Her name is Pema. She's really nice, and I think she can help me. She's urging me to continue calling you. She believes it's a good mechanism to cope with the loss. But she wants me to stop drinking altogether and stop being so alone all the time. After all, I only see people when I'm at work.

"So basically, Asami insisted on helping me accomplish those two things. She came over to my place and threw out all of my alcohol save for one bottle of whiskey. And…she stayed with me last night. I'll admit, it was comforting in a way. We didn't talk much, but it was nice to know she was there for me. She's been my rock now, just like you were for me all those years we knew each other.

"I really think I'm starting to get better Korra. This is good. I know you'd be proud of me."

_**Date: June 30** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"You look better."

"Thanks…you're certainly helping me. I really appreciate it."

"No problem Kuvira. You're my work partner and my friend. I care about you, and I want to make sure that you'll be okay."

"That's all I'm striving for right now."

_**Date: July 4** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014 1:27 pm** _

"Come with me Kuvira…they have a great firework display."

"I-I might just stay in."

"I'm not taking no for an answer. I know if I let you stay alone, you'll drink until you pass out, and I don't want that to happen."

"Well…since I can tell you'll literally drag me there if I refuse, I'll just accept your offer."

"Good choice."

"Asami, you weren't even giving me a choice."

"Exactly. I'll pick you up around eight. The fireworks start at ten, so we can go out to dinner."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

_**8:48 pm** _

"This is nice…"

"What?"

"Just…being out with you like this; no work or anything, just…friends."

"Yeah…I guess so. Thanks again Asami. You really didn't have to take me out tonight."

"Oh, don't mention it. I like spending time with you. You're like the only other person I can really talk to about nerdy stuff."

"So I'm a nerd then?"

"Of course you are! We're both nerds! I mean, high tech engineers who love coming up with innovative ideas…we're pretty nerdy."

"That's…I don't really know how to respond."

"What? Kuvira is at a loss for words?"

"Shit happens…"

_**10:25 pm** _

"Dinner was great, and…I'm actually enjoying this a lot."

"I told you Kuvira! It's good for you to get out a little bit. Plus, it's the Fourth of July! You have to see some fireworks!"

"Yeah…this place is doing a really nice job with them too. Um…thanks Asami…for inviting me out. You really didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did! I want to help you Kuvira. What you're going through is hard…you shouldn't have to handle it alone…"

"It-It really means a lot to me. I don't think a simple 'thank you' is sufficient enough for how much you've helped me."

"I-I guess I just want to help you move on. Like, not from what you had with Korra, but just finding love again, ya know? I don't want you to stop living. You have your whole life ahead of you, and I know you can do great things. Working with you these past two months has been amazing, and I know it might be a little too early to say this…but I really like you Kuvira. I'm…not quite sure why I just - ,"

"It's okay Asami. I like you too. I know it's going to be hard for me to let go of the past, but I think that with you it'll be a little less painful. I don't know…you're able to calm me just like Korra did, and…it makes me wonder if-if I'm going to move forward…maybe you can be the person I - ,"

"…Um…sorry…I-I don't know why I just did that. Might be the alcohol getting to my head right now. But uh…I'm gonna go…I'll see you at work tomorrow. Uh…yeah, bye Kuvira."

"Wait, Asami…it's o- and…you're gone…"

_**11:55 pm** _

"Korra…the craziest thing happened tonight. Okay, maybe not _crazy,_ but definitely unexpected. I went out with Asami to see some fireworks tonight…figured I should get out instead of drink myself into a coma… Anyway, it was really nice. We went for dinner and then went drove to a town that did an amazing firework display over the lake.

"So we were talking and stuff…I just thanked her for helping me out. She's been there for me whenever I needed her. She's a great, true friend. Although, I'm not really sure what we are now. We were sitting by the lake and she just…kissed me. It-It was short and awkward I guess since I wasn't expecting it, but I don't know how to feel…

"It was so weird. When I was talking to her, I felt like I was talking to you in a way. She-She knows what to say to me and how to help me calm down. She knows to give me space if I need it. She just…knows. It-It scares me Korra. I never thought I could feel this way about anyone except you. But I know now what it means to truly move on…Asami helped me figure that out.

"It's not forgetting what we had or leaving the love we had behind. It's just…opening my heart again…to someone else. It's finding happiness again. That's all you ever wanted for me too. And I always thought a life without you was a life without happiness – it wasn't worth living. But then I moved here and met Asami. And I know I was never the kind of person to be into all that religion stuff…but I really believe God put her into my life.

"I mean…when I'm with Asami…I'm happy."

_**Date: July 9** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So…are there any modifications to the designs you want to make?"

"Asami, are you really going to act like nothing happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Really?"

"Fine…you want me to admit it? Okay, yes, I kissed you. But I know you're still not - ,"

"No, Asami, I'm not mad at you or anything…"

"Wait, you're not?"

"I'm not angry. In fact I-I'm kind of glad you did."

"I'm confused now."

"I was tired of being stuck in the past. I knew that if I didn't move forward with my life I'd end up doing something stupid to be with Korra again. That's why I moved here. I figured I could keep her memory since she liked the city, but I'd still be starting over: a new house, new job…new friends. And then I met you and I just…I knew things would be better."

"Kuvira…I-I want you to be happy, but I don't want you to feel like you have to - ,"

"Everything I'm doing right now is because I _want_ to. I want to and _need_ to move on, otherwise I'll sink back into that hole I was in when I came here. I really believe you can help me through this, and I think I can be happy again…with you. So…I'm usually not the person to make any first moves, but I've been thinking about all this the last couple days, and I'd like to ask you out to dinner…like, on a date."

_**Date: July 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Uh…soooo…I asked Asami out. I'm taking her to dinner in a couple days. It's a pretty nice restaurant…we have to wear kinda fancy clothes. Ughhh Korra…I don't know how to describe these feelings. All of this is exciting and scary and confusing, and I just wish you were here still…although I'm sure you're laughing your ass off right now at how awkward I am with Asami. But…you know I was never good with girls…or showing my feelings.

"But I think this is the start of something really good Korra. I-I'm moving on like I know you'd want me to. I think I can be happy again. And I probably sound like a rambling mess right now – ya know, like how you were when we first started dating, but it's been so long since I've felt this way about someone. I mean…it's been a little over five months since you…left me, and I never allowed anyone into my emotions. Bolin a little bit, but…not like this.

"Asami is starting to know _me_ Korra – the person I really am behind my emotionless shell. She-She's seen me when I'm weak and she knows how to pick me back up. I-I can't explain it, but there's something between us. I know there is. It-It'll be a work in progress, but I think we'll make it work, and I think we'll be happy together.

"And…I know it might be _way_ too early to say something like this, but…I-I think I'll be able to love her the way I love you…"

_**Date: July 13** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"Thank you Kuvira…I-I had a really nice time with you. We should go out again next week."

"Yeah, absolutely. Um…can I uh – can I kiss you?...Hey! Don't laugh at me!"

"No, Kuvira, you were just so adorable when you asked! But…you don't have to ask to kiss me from now on, okay?"

"I just-I wanted us to actually be prepared this time…I guess?"

"Ya know, behind that tough, blank mask of yours, you're actually a real softie."

"Pfft…I am not!"

"Yeah… _surreeee_ you aren't. I honestly think you'd - ,"

"…Sorry, but I can't have my girlfriend saying mean things about me."

"Hey! Fine…one: Don't apologize for kissing me. And two: I was not saying mean things about you, they were just the truth."

"Whatever you say."

"Wanna try me on that?"

"I'd love to."

"Don't give me that face."

"What face?"

"That little smirk and the thing you do with your eyebrows; it's so confident and smug and it's sexy as hell."

"Oh…well then I guess I'll do it more often."

"Ugh…Kuvira!"

_**Date: July 14** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So my date with Asami went really well. Um…we just got to know each other more. Ya know, the little things…because they matter. And then we kissed again. Well, I was the one to kiss her first this time. We're going out again next week. I just – remember when we first started dating and we couldn't stop smiling at each other? I don't think I've ever smiled so much in my whole life. But uh, that's how we are…that's how _I_ am with her.

"I-I don't know if it's a good thing to be falling for someone so hard so early, but I've been without love for a while now. I didn't know love still existed beyond you Korra, but I've found that it does…I just have to be willing to want it again."

_**Date: August 15** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"So it's been a month now. And Korra, this has been the happiest month of my life since you left. I know I sound like a cheesy romantic when I say that, but I don't know how else to put it. I don't feel lonely anymore. She's someone I can truly talk to.

"She knows how much I miss you though. I-I want to visit you again, but I've been so busy with work that I haven't been able to find a time when I can come and see you and your parents – they've invited me back a few times too. I know we get the holidays off, so maybe I can come and spend Thanksgiving.

"Jeez…it's gonna be hard – going through the holidays without you now."

_**Date: September 23** _ _**rd** _ _**, 2014 10:49 pm** _

"Why'd you have to leave me? You promised! You promised me we'd be together for the rest of our lives! You said we were gonna get married and start a family! You broke all those promises… What the fuck is wrong with you?!

"I gave you my life and my heart and I loved you with everything I had! And you just threw all of that away! You broke my heart and you tore our love apart! I can't believe I fell in love with you! God, I fucking hate you! I wish we - ,"

"Kuvira, stop!"

"A-Asami? Wha-no…go-go back to sleep…"

"That's kind of hard to do when you're screaming like this."

"I-I'll stop…just…go to sleep…please. Y-You have to be at w-work early t-tomor-morrow."

"So do you."

"I just…need some time alone."

"And drink yourself into a coma? No. Kuvira, I don't care how much you protest, I'm taking you back to your room, and you're going to try and sleep okay? You're drunk and you're saying things you don't mean about Korra, and I can't listen to it anymore."

"I do fucking mean them! She left me here and broke my heart and she - ,"

"Stop Kuvira! Please! I can't just stay here and listen to you say these things about the woman you love! You don't - ,"

"Loved…"

"What?"

"The woman I _loved_."

"I-I don't understand. Kuvira, you love Korra, and you always will. You've told me about how your - ,"

"Yes, I love her, but that's in the past. She's gone, and I'm so fucking mad at her for leaving, but I'm moving on."

"Okay…I-I guess you're just not making any sense to me right now, so I'm going to take you back to your room, and tomorrow we can talk."

"I know what I'm fucking saying!"

"You won't remember it though! Please Kuvira, try to sleep. I don't want you to say things you either don't mean or won't have any recollection of."

"But I will remember."

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, even though I don't show my emotions that much, I know what I feel. And usually I used to deny my feelings, but the more I did that the more I found that I just became colder and more shut off from the people around me. It-It wasn't until Korra came into my life and was able to break through the walls I had around my heart. Once she left…I thought I'd just go on living my life with the walls around me again. I was lonely all those months after her death…but then I met you. And Asami – you-you managed to do what Korra did. You pushed your way into my life and you made sure I knew you were there for me, and…you managed to-to break through th-the walls I had put around my heart again."

"Kuvira…I-I know you might be - ,"

"No, just listen…please."

"I want to…b-but I'm not sure how much of this you'll actually remember tomorrow. I just – I guess I don't want to be let down in the morning…"

"I mean every word I'm saying."

"You might not…"

"I do okay?! I'm done denying my feelings! I can't be lonely anymore! I can't be heartless anymore! I thought I would have to live the rest of my life without love and without happiness but - ,"

"Kuvira…you don't know what you're - ,"

"I love you! I-I love you Asami, okay? I didn't w-want to admit it but…I saw that y-you cared about m-me and you would be th-there for me…and I-I wanted to h-have something with you…po-potentially something K-Korra and I will n-never have now…"

"Kuvira…"

"I don't expect you to say anything back. I just – I needed to t-tell you…"

"No…it's okay Kuvira. I-I love you too…"

_**Date: November 22** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2014** _

"Hey Korra, I know there were nights that I called and said some really terrible things to you. I just want you to know that I didn't mean any of it. I was drunk those nights, and I was just so upset and so…depressed by the fact that I'll never see you again.

"Pema says that you never really get over the loss of someone you love. I mean…how could you? Losing someone you planned to spend the rest of your life with, someone you gave your heart to, someone you would give your own life for…there's no way to get over that. But…it _is_ possible to move on. It's weird – I always thought that 'moving on' and 'getting over' meant the same thing…but they don't. Getting over something is almost the same thing as forgetting it ever happened. But moving on is remembering that it happened but not letting it bring you down.

"So…that's what I'm doing; I'm moving on…with Asami. She-She's just amazing…really, you'd like her. She's beautiful and kind and funny and supportive and…I-I love her Korra. Uh…anyway…I-I'm gonna visit you sometime this week. Asami and I came up for Thanksgiving. We're staying with your parents. They still miss you.

"We all do."

_**Date: November 26** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014** _

"I asked Asami to stay with your parents to keep them company so I could just have some time alone with you. Bolin and Mako are away…apparently Bolin has a girlfriend now and her family invited them to New York City to spend the holiday. I'm jealous. We always talked about taking another vacation to New York, but now I'm stuck with coming to Montana. Seriously Korra? Why couldn't your parents have picked a more…normal place to live? Ah…you know I'm kidding. I enjoy it up here sometimes. It's calm and quiet; definitely not the usual hustle of Chicago we're used to.

"Um…I've been doing well the last month actually. I've been clean for almost three and a half weeks now. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I'm proud of it. Even though Asami got rid of all our liquor, I'd still drink the one bottle we kept every so often…which means I had a drunken breakdown at least once a week. But now I'm getting better. Pema has been helping me out a lot, and Asami has been there to support me and make sure I'm staying clean too.

"I-I know I said I thought I was getting better a few months ago. That obviously wasn't true. But now it is, and I mean it Korra. Maybe it was coming back here again and seeing you, but I know I can't go back down that path of self-destruction again. I have a good job, a better life now, and an amazing girlfriend.

"Still though, I wish I could just talk to you face to face. It's hard to hear your voice on your answering machine and know you'll never pick up the phone. But…it's enough to still bring a smile to my face. I-I guess I don't really know what to say about how hard it is living without you still. It's getting better though. I mean, I've told you about what a difference Asami has made. She makes me happy and…that's all I want right now. But I'm still gonna call you. Don't think that just because I'm off in Portland with another girl I'll forget to tell you about the things that happen in my life okay?

"…We're staying another couple days. I'll see you again before we leave…

"Happy Thanksgiving Korra."

_**Date: December 23** _ _**rd** _ _**, 2014** _

"Do you want to do anything special for Christmas, or are we just going to go over to your dad's house?"

"We're not going anywhere Kuvira. We're staying here and cuddling like we are now."

"Pfft…come on Asami. You know your dad is gonna want us to come over for dinner or something…maybe even go over Christmas day. He probably got both of us a gift."

"I know…but we should use Christmas as a whole day to cuddle."

"Really? You don't want any presents?"

"No…cuddling will by my present."

"You're acting like a big baby right now."

"Well sorrryyyy you're so comfy!"

"I never objected to cuddling though."

"Oh…this is true."

"But I did get you a present."

"You know you didn't have to."

"I know…but I wanted to."

"Ugh…fine. We can go over to my dad's."

"I never said we had to do that."

"Yeah, but he'll want us to have dinner with him like you said. He likes you Kuvira. Plus, he'll probably want to spend some more time with you considering he only found out like three weeks ago that we're together."

"True…but his face was priceless when we told him we'd been together for more than three months. And now it's been over four months. Jeez…"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's a good thing. I never thought I'd be able to have another relationship after Korra, let alone one that could last."

"Aw…you actually sound romantic."

"Hey! I can be very romantic sometimes!"

"Yeah… _sometimes._ I'm guessing that 'sometimes' refers to the grand total of eight dates we've been on."

"Okay, you wanted to stay in most of the time I offered to take you out, so don't put this on me…"

"I'm just giving you shit Kuvira. You know I love you…even though you're probably the least romantic person out there."

"Yeah, whatever you say."

"Prove me wrong then."

"I'm sure I will."

_**Date: December 25** _ _**th** _ _**, 2014 9:28 am** _

"Hey Korra…just letting you know that I'm going with Asami to her dad's house to celebrate Christmas. I wish you were here…I always say that. But it's hard. This is the first Christmas without you and your constant rambling and all that other hype you made just to open a few of my presents. But it was cute. I loved it. Being with Asami today will help though. We're opening our gifts with her dad and then we're gonna have dinner. Pretty simple but…at least I won't be alone.

"I uh…I got Asami an…interesting gift…to say the least. I think you would approve. Ya know, it's something you would do; get someone a ridiculous gift that embarrasses them. Yeah…this will be a fun Christmas. Asami says I'm not romantic and my sense of humor is really hard to pick up on, so hopefully this will clear that up. Trust me, I'm not serious about this gift…I mean, unless we get to that stage in our relationship at some point.

"Um…so anyway, I'll call you later tonight and let you know how the gift went over. I'm sure I'll be laughing too hard to even tell you about it. Um…yeah…Merry Christmas you dork."

_**10:35 am** _

"Can I take the blindfold off yet?"

"No Asami, your dad said not until he tells you to."

"Well…it's suspenseful for sure: not knowing where I'm going."

"Asami!"

"Yeah dad?"

"You can take off the blindfold now."

"Okay. I don't see why – holy shit dad! A new car! B-But I just got a new one like…three months ago!"

"Yes, but this one – as promised by Ford – is equipped with the new airbags you two designed."

"Wow, really? That's amazing! Thank you so much! Really…this is awesome."

"Damn…I always wanted an F-150."

"Oh Kuvira…your gay is showing…"

"Pfft…you're gonna be the one driving this thing."

"Okay, you win."

"I always win."

"Shut up. You don't win in the gift column."

"Really? You haven't even opened my gift yet."

"Well you certainly didn't get me a car. Or…truck…"

"No I didn't. But I'm sure my gift will be of…enjoyment to you."

"Why are you smirking like that?"

"Like what?"

"You're impossible."

"Really…then maybe you should go open my gift…"

"Ugh, fine. Dad…thank you so much again. This was too much. You really didn't have to do this."

"I know Asami, but I wanted to, and I know how hard you and Kuvira worked on those airbag designs, so when Ford told me they were ready I knew you should be the first to experience it."

"Well…I have to open Kuvira's gift. She's being very…adamant about it."

"Hey! I just want you to experience the joy of celebrating Christmas with me."

"Alright, I'm going!"

"Thank god…"

"Don't be sassy Kuvira."

"I'm not, I'm expressing my feelings in an honest way."

"You're ridiculous. And why is the box so small?"

"Are you really going to act prissy right now?"

"I'm not acting prissy!"

"'Oh look at me: Asami Sato, the prissy, beautiful, elegant, rich girl who co-owns one of the biggest companies in the country!'"

"Okay…that is definitely _not_ how I act."

"Oh trust me babe, you definitely _do_ act like that sometimes."

"Oh my god… Okay, I'm just gonna open your gift now."

"That would be the best for both of us."

"Shut up!"

"I'm just messing with you."

"…"

"I'm guessing you opened the gift."

"Um…"

"You're blushing Asami. Why don't you turn around and show your dad."

"N-No thanks!"

"Awh, you're cute when your voice gets squeaky and you're still blushing this is so adorable!"

"Adorable! Kuvira…why did you get me these?!"

"Ummm…because I'm gonna use them…duh!"

"What the fuck?!"

"I'm sure it's not that bad."

"No Mr. Sato…it's not. Your daughter just doesn't know how to react."

"Um…yeah dad…uh, Kuvira…she well, umm…got me handcuffs…"

"What? I didn't hear you."

"She got me handcuffs!"

"Oh…well, that's…interesting."

"It's embarrassing!"

"Well Asami, if that's what you two are into then - ,"

"No! No, no, no!"

"Hah…yes! Even your dad approves!"

"Dad, we haven't even slept together yet!"

"Well, Mr. Sato…that's not technically true. We have slept together, but what your daughter is trying to say is that we haven't - ,"

"He knows what I'm saying!"

"You're still blushing!"

"Stop pointing it out!"

"Okay, well…I'm gonna go upstairs and…leave you two to uh, have fun with those I guess."

"Thank you, Mr. Sato, for understanding where our relationship is at right now."

"…I can't believe you. Handcuffs? Really Kuvira?"

"Pretty good gift, right?"

"Good? No! When are we ever going to use these?"

"Well…I mean, if we get there and you wanna try something kinky, then that's when - ,"

"Oh my god…"

"So…how did my gift compare?"

"…You win…"

_**9:52 pm** _

"Well…the gift went over well. I got her handcuffs. Pretty kinky but…it was worth it. Seriously Korra, her face was priceless. She had no idea what to say or do. It was hilarious and so adorable! Ah…you would have laughed. I'm sure you are laughing…wherever you are right now.

"Anyway, I hope your Christmas was good. I know mine was. Asami is still figuring out how to talk to me about her gift. I swear, I fall more in love with her every day. We're gonna get married Korra. I'm serious, we are. I love her so much. I have you to thank for that; you showed me what it was like to love another person. You introduced me to all the emotions that went along with it: the good, the bad, the ones that made me feel on top of the world and the ones that put me through hell and back…and I wouldn't go back for anything.

"Because of you, I know what love is. I loved you with everything I had. I guess I realized at some point after you left that I wasn't going to let all the rest of that love go to waste…"

_**Date: January 17** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"You don't sound sure. Asami, if you want to wait…we can."

"Kuvira…I want this with you. I love you."

"I love you too. Just…tell me if I'm hurting you or if you want to stop, okay?"

"Okay."

_**Date: January 18, 2015** _

"Hey…"

"Hey."

"So…last night…"

"What about it?"

"You don't regret it, do you?"

"No Kuvira…I love you, I could never regret anything I do with you."

"That's a big statement."

"But it's true."

"Stop being the romantic one; you'll make me fall even more in love with you."

"I'm just being honest. But if it makes you fall in love with me more then I guess I should be more romantic…whatever that word means in Kuvira World."

"It has its varieties."

"Oh I'm sure it does, hence the handcuffs in the drawer of our nightstand."

"Ya never know when you'll get the desire to do that."

"Which will be never."

"Oh…just you wait Asami."

"…Don't wink at me like that!"

"Why? Does it make you want me to use those handcuffs on you?"

"N-No! You just look really hot right now and – no! Don't bite your lip now! Ughhh!"

"Hm…your sex hair looks really gorgeous. Maybe it'll look even better after - ,"

"No, we are not going into our kinks right now!"

"Our? Are you telling me you have your own?"

"Kuviraaaa…leave me alone! We just had sex for the first time last night and I'm still tired…just let me cuddle with you!"

"I can do that."

"Yeah, okay…sure…"

"Ugh…come here you big baby."

"Jeez, you're impossible. I love you."

"And I love you Asami."

_**Date: January 21** _ _**st** _ _**, 2015** _

"You know I'm never one to sugarcoat things, so I'm just gonna say it: Asami and I had sex a few nights ago. I mean, we've been together for five months. It's not like we took things too fast with each other anyway. But…it was amazing Korra. It-It reminded me of our first time together. Yeah it was sloppy and a little awkward when we started, but it brought us even closer and showed how much we love each other. Like seriously Korra, I'm so in love with her. I don't regret it either. I want this with her.

"I-I'm thinking about proposing…n-not now of course! But…maybe in a couple months. I know it might seem early to bring it up, but I just needed to tell you this because I love her so much and it's scary but amazing and I want everything in the world with her. I-I know she loves me too. It's nice to know my efforts and my love are being returned. I might…buy the ring in a couple weeks. I'll send you a picture of it. I'll probably just get her a simple ring that still has some – I don't know…flash or shine to it.

"Anyway…I love you. I wish you would call me back…but I know that'll never happen."

_**Date: February 2** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2015** _

"One year…"

"I know Kuvira."

"How did I make it this long without her?"

"You realized that you couldn't stop living. You knew she was a huge influence in your life and that she always will be, but you knew you couldn't put everything down and have your world stop because she was gone."

"It feels like my world has stopped. Especially today."

"Well…that's natural. When I lost my mother, her anniversary came crashing down on me. It was hard for me to believe – just like you're experiencing right now – that I had really gone one year without her."

"But you had your dad. I had…no one."

"You had Bolin for a little while. And when you came here, you quickly had me…"

"Thank you Asami."

"Don't thank me Kuvira. I did it then because you were my friend and I cared about you. I do it now because it's just the right thing to do and because I love you. I'll always be here for you."

"Y-You mean so much to me…I-I love you more than an-anything…"

"I know Kuvira. And I love you just as much. You know I'd do anything for you."

"I-I don't want to be alone today."

"Good…because I wasn't going to let you anyway."

"Yeah, I figured that much."

"Hey look, I made you smile."

"You always make me smile."

"Stop being sappy Kuvira. I'm usually the one to do that."

"I told you I could be romantic."

"And caring, and kind, and loving, and…perfect."

"Ha…I'm not perfect."

"But you're perfect to me, and that's all that matters. True, you are flawed. You have your moments…and they make me frustrated sometimes. But you will always be perfect in my eyes, and I will love you through the good times we have together, and the bad…"

"Jesus Christ, Asami, I love you so fucking much."

"Well…your romance still lacks I guess…"

"Accept my affection as it is."

"I do, and I love you for that."

"And I love hugging you."

"Yeah…I can see that. Especially now…you're kind of like a koala right now."

"I love being close to you. Can you really blame me?"

"Of course not Kuvira. I won't deny it: It's the best feeling in the world when we cuddle like this."

"I just want to be with you and know you're mine…always."

"You will Kuvira…you will always have me."

_**February 20** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Jeez Korra, the anniversary of your death was fucking hard. It's still unbelievable to me – that I went a whole year without you. I guess talking on your message machine lessened my realization, but when it was that day those couple weeks ago…the awareness hit me…fucking badly too.

"I had Asami with me the whole day though. It was good. She…calmed me and kept my head level. She made sure I didn't do anything stupid. Anyway…I'm buying the ring tomorrow. I think Asami will love it. It's pretty simple; it has small diamonds outlining the thin band, and at the center there's a larger cut diamond, which is fairly noticeable but not too over-the-top flashy. I sent you a picture of it right before I called you.

"I'm not sure when I'm going to propose, but maybe within the next few weeks. I was thinking on her birthday – March 15th – would be good…I don't know, it would seem a little more romantic than just some random day.

"So yeah…I'll do it then. I'll tell you about it. I love you."

_**March 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Heyyyy Kuvira! I haven't talked to you in forever!"

"It's been a few months yes…how are you Bolin?"

"I'm really good actually! Opal is doing great too. She moved in with me about a month ago. Oh! Mako has a boyfriend!"

"Mako? Never knew he liked guys…"

"Yeah…he's dating Wu! He's like…flaming gay in all honesty. I don't know how I never realized it before. But he's nice…a little self-centered sometimes…but nice nonetheless. They've been dating for almost four weeks now and Mako really likes him, so that's all that matters."

"Wu definitely doesn't sound like Mako's type. I'm surprised."

"That's what I thought! But hey…he's happy, so I can't really object. So…how are you and Asami doing?"

"Well, it's been almost seven months, so, ya know, I'd say we're doing pretty well."

"That's great Kuvira! I'm really happy for you!"

"Yeah…her birthday is in five days. I-I'm gonna propose to her."

"Oh my gosh! This is so cute! Ooh…send me a picture of the ring!"

"Okay, I will! It's really nice."

"Aw Kuvira…this is really great for you. But…I just want to ask…why? Like, I know you love her, but you never got engaged to Korra. I'm just wondering what changed…"

"I guess I don't want to let Asami slip away from me like Korra did. We were together for four years. I don't understand why we never got married sooner, but we always talked about it. I guess we thought we'd have the rest of our lives to do that…but then Korra left…unexpectedly. I wanted to propose once we moved to Portland, but that never happened. I don't want to risk losing Asami. Even though I know the same thing won't happen to her, it's just scary to think about. I want to know I'll have her heart for the rest of my life."

"That…was one of the most beautiful things I've…ever heard…"

"Are you crying?"

"No! Maybe…a little…"

"Aw Bolin! I know it's emotional but you don't have to cry now! Save your tears for our wedding!"

"Okay…sounds like a plan! But seriously…that was beautiful. I better be the best man!"

"Don't worry, you will."

_**Date: March 15** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015 11:26 am** _

"I'm taking you out tonight."

"We're already out."

"You're impossible. I meant for dinner."

"I supposed that much. Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise!"

"Oh, come on Kuvira…I can probably guess."

"Hm…fine."

"The Melting Pot."

"Shit…you're good."

"No. I just know because I've told you about how it's my favorite restaurant, and plus, you've never been there before, so you probably did it just so you could go."

"Um…that was only like twenty percent of the reason."

"Hah…you're too funny. Thank you though. You'll really enjoy it…I know I will too."

_**8:47 pm** _

"Can we come here more often?"

"I told you it was amazing."

"Yeah…but it was twenty times more amazing than what you described."

"Oh shut up Kuvira…you're such a dork sometimes. Take me home."

"Wow…way to be demanding."

_**9:06 pm** _

"Hm…rose petals? Maybe you really are romantic."

"Hey, I told you I was. You doubted me."

"I'm just wondering how this happened without both of us home."

"I had a little…help from…someone…"

"You're a miracle worker."

"I know. Oh, but you have to wear these."

"Blindfolds? Really? This isn't some ploy to get me into those handcuffs, is it?"

"No…"

"It totally is. Jeez, I feel like this is straight out of Fifty Shades of Grey."

"I'm not really into romance Asami…"

"Oh my goodness stop!"

"I swear it's nothing like that. Now…please?"

"Ugh…fine. What I let you do to me…"

"Now _you're_ the one making this kinky."

"Okay, I'll shut up."

"Good. Just hold my hand."

"Okay…"

"Okay."

"What?"

"You can take the blindfold off."

"Oh...Jeez, Kuvira…roses, champagne…you really outdid yourself with this. I'm actually really – wait, where did you go?"

"Turn around babe…"

"Kuvira…"

"I'm really not good with this because I've always sucked at expressing my feelings, but I love you so much and I don't want to risk letting what we have slip away because it happened before…I don't want it to happen again. I love you Asami, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That's a promise I'll never break. So…will you marry me?"

"Yes Kuvira…oh my god, I love you…"

"I love you too. I'll never let you go. I promise."

_**Date: March 17** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Hey Korra. Well…Asami and I are engaged! I-I couldn't be happier right now. I – gosh, I love her so much. I'm sure you're proud of me or…happy for me or whatever – ya know, for not getting stuck in the past. I haven't had to see Pema as much, which is good. She says that means I'm getting better. I know it'll still take some more effort, but I think that with Asami's help…I can really repair my heart, ya know? It shattered into a million pieces when you left me, but now I'm starting to put it back together. I don't know how long it'll take, but it will happen someday. I'm sure of it.

"I know you'll be at the wedding. It's in about two and a half months. It's going to be on the beach. Asami really loved that whole idea. I'm wearing a tux. I know, I know…you've seen me in dresses before and I look good in them…but I don't know – I'm just feeling a tux I guess. Anyway…I'll send you some of our wedding pictures for sure.

"I love you Korra. I hope you're causing all sorts of trouble wherever you are."

_**Date: April 28** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Ughhh…who knew a wedding would take so much planning?"

"Asami, it's not like we're going out to a movie or something. It's our freaking _wedding._ "

"But we could be! We could go to a movie theatre, see a movie, and give each other the rings there!"

"You're just being lazy."

"Ugh…this is too much."

"Here…why don't you go take a nap or something, and I'll finish this up."

"Oh thank God…"

"Don't act so appreciative."

"Pssh…shut up Kuvira, you know I'm thankful for it."

"Mhmm okay…"

"Why must you always tease me? Ughhhh."

"That's nothing compared to what I can do."

"Don't give me that look!"

"I always will."

"Are you _still_ on the handcuff thing?"

"Maybe…now go rest for a little bit."

"You're impossible."

"I love you too."

_**Date: May 30** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015 5:39 pm** _

"I had a really long list of marriage vows to say right now, but I don't think they're really necessary for what I truly want to say to you Asami."

"I'm already crying, please don't make it any worse…"

"I might make myself cry, don't worry."

"You're impossible."

"You tell me that a lot. I'm starting to believe it."

"Good…you really should."

"I'd love to do this but we have a wedding we're in right now so I should probably get on with it."

"That might be best."

"Asami, you reminded me what it was like to love someone again. After Korra left, I thought I had nothing. I felt empty, and – I must admit, I didn't really want anyone to fill the hole left in my heart again. I couldn't picture myself loving anyone but her. But then…I met you, and that all changed.

"Yeah, we started out as friends. I knew you were someone I cared about. But as we spent more time together, I couldn't deny my feelings anymore. I knew I liked you beyond a friend. And after our first date…I only fell in love with you even more every day.

"Asami, you pulled me out of the darkest time I've had in my entire life. You showed me love when I thought there was none left. You've become the flame to my candle and the sun in my sky, and if you're taken away, all that's left is darkness again. I never want to lose you, and I promise you, you will have my heart for as long as I live."

"…Jesus Kuvira…how am I supposed to follow that up?"

"You don't have to. I-I already know…h-how much you love m-me…"

"Is Kuvira crying in front of people?"

"Sh-Shut up Asami…I just gave you a whole speech and…that's wh-what you have to say?"

"I'm just giving you shit. Now seriously, shut up and kiss me…we're married now."

"Gladly…"

_**11:22 pm** _

"So…it's our wedding night…"

"Are you implying something?"

"I'm implying that we have hot, passionate sex."

"Really Kuvira? There's something more to this…"

"Mhmm…"

"You aren't going to take no for an answer this time, are you?"

"Of course not. You should know by now that I always get what I want."

"Way to sound arrogant."

"You know I am though."

"Extremely, but I love you."

"If you really loved me - ,"

"Kuvira…"

"You'd be in those handcuffs by now…"

_**Date: August 23** _ _**rd** _ _**, 2015** _

"Hey Korra…just wanted to let you know that work is great, Asami is amazing, and I'm doing really well. I know I haven't called as much lately; I've been super busy with work. We're planning to launch an idea for a more fuel efficient car. This will probably be something we'll work on for years to come along with some smaller projects as well.

"Um…anyway…I haven't had any problems with depression for about four months now. This is really good for me. I think I'm going to only call once a month now, that way I can tell you about any interesting things but not get too caught up in your memory. It still destroys me when I think about it too much. I'll always miss you. The pain is always there; I've just found better ways to cope with it and not focus on it.

"I'm sure you're doing well wherever you are. Keep causing trouble for me dork."

_**Date: November 15** _ _**th** _ _**, 2015** _

"Are we seriously doing this Kuvira?"

"This was your idea."

"So you don't want to?"

"Oh…no, I do. It's just that it was your idea to fly halfway around the world for this. We could have gone somewhere closer ya know. Plus, Russia isn't very safe right now."

"Russia is fine where we're going! It's a small town! Not a lot of people…it'll be fine!"

"You're lucky I love you. I wouldn't do this for anyone else."

"Just think…in a few weeks, we're going to have a family!"

"Can't wait."

"You say it sarcastically but you can't even hide your smile. Really convincing…"

"Shushhhh…you know I'm excited to do this with you."

_**Date: January 26** _ _**th** _ _**, 2016** _

"So…Asami and I adopted a kid. Yep, you heard me Korra. But that's not the amazing part; we adopted him from Russia! I don't think I've ever done anything this crazy. But…it was worth it. He's almost ten months old now. His name is Alexei. I know…seriously Russian, right? But uh…his mom gave him up when he was three months old because she couldn't afford to take care of him.

"He's really sweet though. He doesn't cry a lot, which I'm thankful for. You know how I always complained whenever a baby started crying. Annoys me so much… Anyway, yeah, he's pretty quiet like, eighty percent of the time. But he has the cutest laugh and the best smile ever. He kind of looks like Asami, except he has these gorgeous blue eyes…they're lighter than yours, but they're beautiful.

"I-I smile every morning I wake up next to Asami and every time I see Alexei's eyes looking back at me. He knows we love him…and I-I'm so happy Korra. I wish you c-could meet Asami and Alexei and see our f-family…I just – I miss you so much, but I won't let myself drown in my pain again, so…I'm gonna go.

"I love you Korra."

_**Date: February 2** _ _**nd** _ _**, 2016** _

"You okay Kuvira?"

"Yeah…I'm…okay..."

_**Date: March 21** _ _**st** _ _**, 2016** _

"So Alexei turned one today. He's-He's amazing, Korra. I mean, he's walking and talking – he calls me 'mommy' and Asami 'ma.' It's the cutest thing. He's this little bundle of joy and holy fuck, I never thought I could love a child this much…

"It's been over two years without you now…but I'm doing really well. I don't get upset anymore; only, of course, on certain days like your anniversary or your birthday. But I'm going to get through them every year with Asami's help.

"I'm okay Korra…I know you are too."

_**Date: June 10** _ _**th** _ _**, 2016** _

"Happy birthday dork."

_**Date: July 19** _ _**th** _ _**, 2016** _

"Hey Korra…so…the phone company called me today. They can't keep your number going. They're shutting off your phone in two weeks, which means I won't be able to talk to you any more…"

_**Date: August 3** _ _**rd** _ _**, 2016 11:15 pm** _

"Do you want to be alone right now?"

"Yeah…thanks Asami. I just think it will be best."

"Okay. Just tell me if you want me with you at any point."

"Thanks, but I think I'll be okay."

"Alright…I love you."

"I love you too…

"…Hey Korra. So they're shutting off your phone tomorrow. This is the last time I'll be able to talk to you. But don't worry, I'll still…do that thing religious people do – ya know, prayer. Maybe that'll help. I'd tell you all these amazing things right now as my last words to you, but I've already done that by keeping you updated with my life, and that's something I'll continue to do.

"I'm still moving on. It will always be tough around your birthday and anniversary, but I'll be fine. I just – I guess what I really want you to know is that I'll always love you. You're one of the most important people in my life. You showed me what true love is, and I thank you for that. Just know that you'll always be in my heart. I could never forget your memory or what we had together. You helped me through dark moments and supported and comforted me when I had no one. You saved my life, but now it's time for me to do that for myself, and that wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for you. And I know that because you were a part of my life and because I knew you, I have truly been changed not only for the better, but for good.

"I love you Korra. Goodbye…for now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I may or may not have sobbed while writing that last segment there.
> 
> DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE KUVIRASAMI
> 
> I loved writing this short. It wasn't sad in how it was written; it was sad because of the concept behind it, and I'm sure you will agree with that.
> 
> This writing style was different for me, and I hope you found it interesting and enjoyable as well!
> 
> The next one will be happier and fluffier for sure! It will be one of your requests, and it'll be one in which Korra falls in love with Kuvira the first time she visits Zao Fu (in Book 3); so look forward to fluffy, awkward Korvira.
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> \- A


	6. Where Do We Go From Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This isn't a huge romantic Korvira short…just saying.
> 
> I'll give you some happier feels with this one though. It's literally Korra and Kuvira being awkward around each other because why not and how cute is that…and also a little sexual tension because why the hell not? Also note that this takes place in Book 3 so Korra and Kuvira would be around 18 or 19.
> 
> So enjoy Korvira being awkward with each other and enjoy Kuvira having no idea how to notice when someone is flirting with her or has a crush on her because even though Kuvira is all badass and confident, she's still an awkward teenager and probably doesn't know the first thing about romance.
> 
> …Basically I'm building you up because the next short will be more depressing

Title: Where Do We Go From Here?

Universe: Canon – Book 3

Korrasami: Friendship

Rating: M for mild language and sexual themes

Summary: Suyin actually introduces Korra to Kuvira while she is in Zaofu. Korra and Kuvira start talking and basically this is awkward and cute Korvira fluff…oh, and some hot Kuvirasami sex. Enjoy.

POV: First person between Korra, Kuvira, and Asami

Pairings: Korvira (duh), Kuvirasami (but one-sided feelings).

Trigger warnings: No warnings apply for this short

* * *

 

_(Korra's POV)_

Being the Avatar, I travel a lot. Whether it's helping people or fighting crime like the badass I am, I go all over the place. So that's why I'm so surprised I've never been to Zao Fu before. Lin and Tenzin and basically every other person I know thinks it'll be the safest place for me while they take care of Zaheer and the rest of the Red Lotus.

Zao Fu is awesome though. I mean…they have these giant metal plates that enclose the city to lock out any potential intruders and attacks…that's so cool! The city is also really nice. We're staying with Suyin, who's the matriarch of Zao Fu and also Toph's daughter. I never knew Lin had a sister, and Suyin seemed really upset that Lin never mentioned her to me. I could sense some tension when the subject came up though, so I sort of dropped it for now.

Last night was filled with so much tension between Lin and Suyin. Everyone at the dinner table felt awkward. We tried carrying on normal conversations between each other, but it was tough when neither Lin nor Suyin would as much as look at each other!

Well…at least that awkwardness has passed. I told Lin that it was probably a good idea if she stayed away from Suyin for a little bit. She agreed, of course.

Suyin also offered to take me on a tour of Zao Fu and introduce me to some of her best metal bending guards today. Maybe I'll even get to learn how to metal bend! That would be amazing. Then I'd truly have start to have control over all the elements. I'd be like an Avatar Plus! All four elements including metal! Then, who knows? I could learn lava bending or lightning bending or something!

"Well…you look happier than you usually do in the mornings," Asami says as she walks into the dining area.

"I guess I'm just excited to see the city. Ya know, different territory, new things to see…"

"Mhmm…" she mumbles back, a yawn escaping her as she sits down next to me. "You aren't nervous about the Red Lotus at all, are you?"

"Nahhh," I say with a dismissive wave of my hand. "What do I have to worry about here? Suyin said that this is the most secure city and that her strongest guards would protect me."

"Gotcha. Still…Zaheer and the rest of them are clever. They might find a way in."

"I guess we'll worry about that when it happens. Now, Suyin is waiting for us…let's go!"

"I haven't even eaten breakfast yet."

"You're more tired than I am this morning…what a shocker. Eat fast. I'll meet you out front."

"Ugh…fine."

_(Kuvira's POV)_

"Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Yes Kuvira…you're the best metal bender I have and the smartest guard. You can protect her should you have to."

"But…But she's my age…and she's the Avatar!" I exclaim, stumbling over my words a little.

Suyin sighs before she lets out a soft laugh, and she shakes her head as she gives me a reassuring pat on my metal clad shoulder.

"You'll be fine Kuvira. There's nothing to worry about. I just want to make sure she has someone to help her if she does get into danger."

"She's the Avatar. I'm pretty sure she can protect herself."

It isn't long after the words come out of my mouth until I feel a hard _whack_ on my arm.

"Really Kuvira?" Suyin says, her eyes narrowed a little yet a small chuckle still escapes her.

"What?" I shrug my shoulders and raise an eyebrow at Su. "I'm just saying. Maybe I'm not the best person to be protecting the Avatar."

"You're my most talented metal bender and probably the best fighter too," Suyin replies, smiling softly as her eyes light up a little when they meet mine. "Plus, maybe you can talk to her a little. Ya know, actually be social for once."

"Hey! I am social!"

"You literally have like one friend Kuvira. You need to get out more." Suyin rolls her eyes and laughs before she starts walking away from me.

"I get out plenty Su. I'm a guard! I'm constantly patrolling Zao Fu!" I jog for a moment to catch up to Su. Damn…sometimes that lady can walk faster than I expect her to.

"Yeah…but…when was the last time you actually _went out_? Like, out for a drink with friends or…on a date?" Suyin wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively, and I can feel my face heating up as I look away from her for a moment.

"Um…I uh - ,"

"Exactly my point," she deadpans, playfully hitting me on my arm again.

"I'm not dating the Avatar if that's what you're trying to get at."

"I never said anything like that," Su replies as she holds the front door of her home open for me. "But…you never know. Strange things can happen."

"Su!"

"What?"

"I'm not…I-I…ugh…you're impossible." I groan and hide my face in my hands as I walk out into the courtyard with Suyin.

"No, _you_ are the impossible one Kuvira. I want you to go out for drinks or dates and you never do. You need to live a little. Have some fun. I don't need twenty-four hour protection."

"But that's my job."

"Not tonight it isn't," Su says back, folding her arms over her chest and shaking her head. "Tonight I'm giving you permission to go out. Get drunk and sleep with a hot girl if you'd like. I'm sure you need to get rid of some of your stress. I'm sure you haven't done that in a while…plus, I already know you've slept with one of your patrol mates."

"Uh…h-how exactly did you…?" _So that's why I had a new patrol mate assigned to me two months ago!_

"Oh, seeing her come out of your bedroom with total sex hair and a dreamy expression on her face. Plus, you two weren't necessarily quiet either."

"Oh my goodness…" I groan as my face heats up again. I'm pretty sure my face looks like a tomato right now…maybe worse if that's even possible. Ugh, Suyin…why do you always have to embarrass me?

I look up when Suyin taps me on the shoulder, and she nods to a raven haired girl standing in the middle of the courtyard.

"That's Korra's friend. She'll be with you as well," Suyin says before she walks over to the other girl. I follow her quickly and smile a little at the taller girl.

"Oh…hey Su," she says.

"Hello Asami. I want to introduce you to the guard that will be with you while you're out in Zao Fu. This is Kuvira," Suyin says, motioning to me, and before I can do anything she nudges me towards Asami.

"Hi," I say softly, holding out my hand.

"Hey. It's nice to meet you. Thanks for agreeing to come with us," Asami says back, taking my hand in her own. The light blush that comes to her cheeks doesn't go unnoticed by me.

"Of course. It's not a problem, really. Suyin always says I need to get out more," I reply. I feel a soft thud on my shoulder where Suyin just hit me.

"Well…it's mostly because she's really confined to this section of Zao Fu. I figured it would be nice for her to go around the whole city with you and Korra," Su says quickly, pushing me to the side a little and shooting me one of her death glares. "Speaking of Korra, where is she?"

"Oh, she's just finishing her breakfast. She should be out in a few more minutes," Asami answers, smiling a little as she looks behind her.

Suyin nods before she turns to me. "No wonder you can't get a date. You're so awkward in social situations. How did I not realize this before?" she whispers.

"When will you stop giving me shit about that?"

"Never Kuvira. You need to work on that."

"Yeah, well you don't have to - …oh my god…" I trail off once I see Korra walking towards us. Holy shit…she's attractive. Beautiful. Hot. Sexy. Gorgeous. Damn. There's no way someone can be this perfect. Like seriously, it's not fair.

"And you said you weren't going to date the Avatar," Suyin says. Luckily, Asami went over to Korra so she wasn't able to hear that last comment.

"Hey Su!" Korra's voice snaps me out of my small daze, and I shake my head a little, pushing some hair out of my face before I follow Suyin over to Asami and Korra.

"Hello Korra. I already introduced her to Asami, but this is Kuvira, the guard that will be accompanying you around Zao Fu."

"Great! Nice to meet you Kuvira," Korra says, a small, dorky grin on her face as she gives me a small and awkward wave. Oh my gosh she's so flawless. Someone help.

"Uh, hi," I say back softly, still unable to form a coherent thought.

"Sorry, she's a little awkward," Suyin says, registering light laughs from both Korra and Asami.

"Yes, and Suyin loves to tease me about it," I say, narrowing my eyes at Su. She can be aggravating sometimes in all honesty.

"It's okay. Korra is pretty awkward too, so they should get along just fine," Asami says to Su, and Korra playfully swats her arm in return.

"Um…we should probably get going. I know you want to make it back for dinner," I say, interrupting the shots Asami and Suyin have been firing at my and Korra's pride. Like seriously…that was just inconsiderate.

"Yeah, of course! Dinner was so awesome last night!" Korra exclaims, a bright smile coming to her face. Gah, she's so adorable. _Oh my goodness Kuvira…you need to stop._

Blehhh…I can't have a crush on the Avatar! This is ridiculous! I've never even had a crush on someone before! Ugh…and plus, why would she even like me back? She's probably head over heels for Asami. I mean, I wouldn't blame her if she is…Asami is gorgeous. Agh, why is life so unfair?

_(Korra's POV)_

Damn…I never knew Zao Fu was such an interesting place and _damn_ I didn't expect to get stuck with definitely the hottest metal bender in existence.

Yes, talking to Kuvira can be very awkward sometimes, and it was usually when I tried to make small talk with her while we were walking around Zao Fu. But most of the time – like right now – she's actually a pretty confident person. The way she holds herself and keeps herself composed gives off this air of authority, and everything about her from the metal chest and shoulder plates on her uniform to the somewhat intimidating expression on her face most of the time screams strength and power.

She must be a well-known metal bender around Zao Fu as well, since there's always a sense of respect coming from the people around us. Or…it could be because I'm the Avatar, but now I'm getting a little too egotistic. Maybe it's a combination of both of us. Or…maybe it's all three of us; a badass, insanely hot metal bender, the Avatar, and the CEO of Future Industries all hanging out together…we make a powerful team.

"Hey, Kuvira," I say as we walk into a small…restaurant? Bar? I don't really know what it is…it just looks like a hang-out place in all honesty.

"Hm?" She raises her eyebrow slightly in return and why is that so damn attractive for some reason? I mean, it's borderline seductive in a way. No one looks that sexy raising their eyebrow!

"Korra…" Shit, she's talking to me again. What's going on?

"Huh, what?"

"You seemed like you were going to ask me something," Kuvira says, and she almost cracks a smile. Almost. Maybe she tried to. It didn't work out too well. Does she ever smile? Meh…it was awkward and…cute in its own weird way.

"Oh…yeah! What's that giant building for?"

"Ah…Zao Fu Tower," Kuvira says, her voice a little soft.

We sit down at a little square table close to one of the back corners of the place. It's nicer back here…quieter. There were so many people in the front…I thought I was going to puke. Okay, that was a little extreme, but I seriously hate people sometimes. Ironic because I'm the Avatar, right? I'm supposed to help people! But…sometimes they just piss me off and I don't know why. I don't want to be around people right now; I just want to enjoy the day with a sexy metal bender who will no way, no chance in all Spirits like me back.

"It's basically a huge business building," Kuvira continues, and my attention goes back to her. "Like…a few different corporations function out of there as well as some smaller companies."

"Oh…cool. Um, how tall is it exactly?" I ask.

"Mm…about thirteen hundred feet," she answers.

"What?! That's crazy! You could like, skydive off of that thing!" I exclaim, and I look over to Asami, a mischievous grin on my face.

"No Korra…we cannot skydive off of it," Asami says with a playful roll of her eyes.

I hear Kuvira laugh for the first time since we've met. It's weird to see her face relax a little. Does she laugh often? It doesn't sound like it. It's a little raspy and deep like her voice – which is hot, so I'm not really complaining about it.

"I don't even think they'd allow you to," Kuvira comments. "I mean, even though you are the Avatar and all, there are people on the ground."

"I'd be careful!"

She laughs again. Yes! One point for Team Avatar Korra; making my future girlfriend laugh! Okay…maybe not girlfriend but…one can hope, right?

"Sorry Korra, but I'm going to have to turn you down on that one," Kuvira says back, a playful glint in her eyes.

Even though I've managed to have a somewhat normal conversation with her, I've mostly been concentrating on the way Kuvira's lips move when she speaks. I hope I haven't been really obvious with it. I've just taken small glances every now and then. I don't know…basically everything about this girl intrigues me.

She has more of a dry sense of humor that is hard for me to pick up sometimes. I mean, I know I'm sarcastic and all but Kuvira is like a sass master or something. She's able to make these little comments every now and then that go completely under my radar and I don't understand that she's being sarcastic until a few minutes later. Yeah…Asami had a good time making fun of me for that.

She's also graceful. The way Kuvira walks is so calm a poised. I can only imagine the advantage that must be as a metal and earth bender.

She's more masculine than most girls…muscular, athletic, yet it all contributes to a unique beauty she has about her. And underneath that armor…damn…I'd kill to see it. That sounded weird…whatever, I have a crush okay? Ugh, this is so difficult! I'm usually able to keep my mind steady and actually be able to interact with someone I like – for the most part, that is. But I'm like swooning over Kuvira, and I barely know her!

Okay, yeah…that would be a good thing to do. I'll talk to her a bit more. I'm staying a few more days. I'll have some time to get to know her.

"Would you two like some drinks?" Kuvira asks.

"Sure," Asami answers, and I nod to the metal bender.

"These are like…normal drinks, right?" I say before Kuvira can leave.

"If by normal you mean they don't have alcohol…then yeah, they're normal…unless you want something stronger," Kuvira answers, shooting me a playful wink. Okay, I think I just died. Someone help me.

"I don't think experiencing a drunk Korra right now would be the best thing in the world," Asami says, raising an eyebrow before she smirks a little.

"I understand," Kuvira says, although this time I'm not sure if she's being playful or not. "Would you like anything Asami?"

"I'll pass for now, although I might have something at dinner," she says, winking at Kuvira.

Wait…was Asami just flirting with her? I mean, I have nothing wrong with that, it's just that I really like Kuvira and I thought that – okay…yes, I _do_ have a problem with that. I've already mentally claimed Kuvira, so it's like we're basically dating. Asami can't intervene like this.

"She is so hot," Asami says to me once Kuvira leaves us for the moment. As if I really needed to hear that.

Okay, this is stupid. I'm not going to fight with my best friend over a girl.

"Mhmm…she is," I mumble. There's really no point in denying it. Even if a girl wasn't gay, they couldn't deny that Kuvira is crazy attractive. It's probably just a known fact: Kuvira is sexy.

"Wait…you like girls?" I ask, shaking my head a little bit. I was too busy thinking about how Kuvira is mine that I forgot for a moment that I never knew Asami was into girls.

"Yup…I never knew you did too," she says back.

"I guess seeing Kuvira confirmed it for me," I joke…but I'm actually serious. Growing up, I sort of got this inkling that I might be into girls as well. Of course that thought didn't cross my mind when I first met Mako because he's a very good looking guy, but after we broke up I wasn't really looking for a relationship. So, I guess I just started noticing different things about myself.

My eyes would linger just a split-second longer on a girl I thought was pretty. I passed it off as just that: 'Oh, she was pretty.' But the more it happened, I started thinking about whether or not I could be attracted to girls. I was in denial at first. And I guess I chose not to think about it once all that crap with Unalaq went down.

But now that I've had some time to relax – I'm sure that will be gone once Zaheer tracks me down – it's crossed my mind more and more. Coming to Zao Fu was supposed to be a move to protect me and keep Zaheer away from me; it wasn't supposed to be a trip that reveals my sexuality to me.

_(Asami's POV)_

I don't think it's normal to like someone this much upon first meeting them. But…I do, and I don't know whether I should hate the fact that I like Kuvira as much as I do or embrace it and try to ask her out tonight. Of course, I don't know why I'd want to do that, and there's no way she'd say yes.

Maybe if it was just in the context of friends though? Yeah…that might work. I mean, I know I have nothing to do tonight since Korra is supposed to be talking with Suyin about Zaheer and other stuff – Korra didn't quite specify the details of what their meeting was about.

So…if Kuvira doesn't have to be anywhere then…maybe we can go out. As friends of course.

It was great to go around Zao Fu with Korra and Kuvira. Although, whenever Kuvira talked I just about swooned. She's intelligent and caring and kind and…awkward. Of course she's confident and poised; there's a calmness to her that I almost don't think is humanly normal too. But there was this air of awkwardness around her whenever we were talking. It was endearing in a way though…it added to her charm.

Although, I must say that it's tough for me right now listening to Korra telling Kuvira about her fight with Unalaq. Kuvira is genuinely interested too…not that that's a problem. I just get this vibe that Korra might like Kuvira too? Okay…now I'm definitely reading too much into this. Just because they're talking doesn't mean that – whoa, whoa, whoa…hold up! Now they're touching each other!

Okay…I really need to stop. It was just a friendly pat on the shoulder! Friends do that, right? Yeah, they do…that's totally normal. It's not like that means anyth- oh god now Korra's blushing! What?!

"Asami?"

"Wait, what?" I'm snapped out of my jealous daze by a hand waving in front of my face.

"You sort of zoned out on me for a second there."

Who's even talking to me? Oh…right, my future wife.

"Oh, sorry…guess I'm just kind of tired. Ya know, we've been running around Zao Fu all day."

Kuvira smiles a little and I realize how much closer to me she is now. When did that happen? Not that I'm complaining…

"Wait, where's Korra?" I ask, looking around Kuvira to see that Korra isn't here anymore.

"She went to see Suyin…something about Zaheer. I don't know."

"Yeah, she didn't tell me what that whole thing is about either," I say back as we start walking together across the courtyard of Suyin's home.

"Well…all I know is that if Zaheer does manage to get into Zao Fu, my job is to protect Korra. Although, I highly doubt that will happen considering Zao Fu is probably the most secure city you can be in."

"What does this guy even want from Korra?"

Kuvira shakes her head and narrows her eyes a bit in thought. "I'm not sure. Korra didn't mention any reason to why he's tracking her down. I can't imagine anything good will happen if he finds her though."

A bit of worry goes through me at her words. It's scary to think that Zaheer could hurt Korra. I mean, Amon and Unalaq wanted certain things, certain goals…we all knew what they wanted before Korra even fought them. But Zaheer…we don't know anything about him. Apparently he has three more people with him; they call themselves the Red Lotus.

"Hey…you alright?" I hear Kuvira ask. I give a soft smile and nod.

"Yeah…um…let's just not talk about Zaheer and what he wants with Korra right now," I answer.

"That's completely okay with me." She lets out a small, somewhat awkward laugh, and she holds the door open for me as we enter Suyin's home.

"Um…are you doing anything tonight?"

"No. Suyin said I wouldn't be needed on duty tonight since she's just talking with Korra."

"Would you maybe…want to go out?"

_(Kuvira's POV)_

"So uh…eight sound good?"

"Yeah. I'm not really…doing anything now," Asami says with a soft laugh.

"Okay. Well…I'm just gonna go change and…we'll go out then." I smile and give her a small wave which I'm sure was extremely awkward before I turn and head towards my room.

Okay…did Asami technically ask me out on a date? I mean, going out for drinks sort of sounds like a date to me. Although…I haven't been on a date in what feels like forever so maybe I'm not too good at picking up on potential advances…but she kind of blushed and was really shy about it and okay, I'm definitely reading into this too much. I should just relax. We're just friends. Plus…I kind of like Korra already so there's no chance I'd let something happen between me and Asami.

Oh, speaking of Korra, she's walking towards me right now. Wonderful. _Act normal, Kuvira._

"Hey Kuvira," Korra says, smiling as she stops for a moment.

"Hey…I thought you were with Su?" I raise an eyebrow – not out of suspicion or confusion…it's just something that happens. It makes her blush a little for some reason though, which I really don't mind because it's so adorable.

"Yeah, I'm going right now. I…sort of got lost trying to find her little conference-meeting room," she answers, a small laugh escaping her.

"Ah…yeah, this place is pretty big. I feel like even I'm not used to it sometimes. You know you could have just asked me to show you where to go, right?"

"Well, I thought I could find it by myself," she mumbles, looking down somewhat bashfully.

So she's a stubborn one…that's cute.

"I hope you know where you're going now then," I comment. I guess I sounded a little too sarcastic or teasing, because Korra whacks me on my arm after.

"I do! I…had to ask someone though…"

I shake my head, letting out a small chuckle. "I know you're the Avatar but…you don't always have to do everything by yourself." My voice is light, although I was completely serious with what I said.

"Yeah well…sometimes it's tough."

"What's tough? To let people help you?" I smirk a little and she just glares back at me.

"Ugh…nevermind."

"So I'm right."

"Anywayyyy," she drags out, although a light grin comes to her face. "What are you up to tonight? I know Suyin let you off for the night. I hope you don't get too bored. I mean, it's not like you stand around Su all day or anything," she teases.

"Hey…it's not even boring!" I exclaim.

"Yeah uh-huh…whatever you say."

"It can be very – ugh…forget it. But I do have plans actually…I'm going out with Asami."

"Oh…" Her voice is smaller now. She almost seems…jealous? Hurt? I don't know. I can't really read her expression. Maybe she's disappointed. But why? "Like…on a date?"

"Oh, no…it's not a date!" I say quickly, unconsciously placing my hand on Korra's shoulder. "Just…going out for some drinks. Nothing romantic about it at all."

She looks back up at me, and I know I saw a flash of hurt go across her eyes. "Oh okay. Well…I hope you have fun. And try to relax, will you please?" She laughs, but her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes as she lightly swats my arm away. "You seem too tense all the time. Enjoy the night out." Before I can get a chance to respond, she's already halfway down the hall.

I'm still confused about her reaction. It didn't seem like jealousy. It was more disappointment than anything. But, why would she be disappointed? I mean, she has a meeting with Su; it's not like I could have invited her out as well.

Wait…does she have a crush on me too? Agh, what am I thinking? There's no way that would ever happen.

_(Asami's POV)_

I don't know why I thought this was going to be a date. When I asked Kuvira out, I never even said it was going to be a date. Mentally I was hoping it would be, but I could tell she was completely disconnected from any romantic indications.

At any rate…it was fun to just go out into the city with Kuvira. She knows the city well, so she was able to take me to a really great restaurant. It was kind of one of those hole-in-the-wall places I'd expect Bolin to find. It was a popular place though. There was a bar and a small dance area there as well. I was praying Kuvira would have asked me to dance, but sitting at the bar with her, having a few drinks, and just talking about random things was enough for me.

It was nice to get to know her a little more, although we only talked about the smaller things…things people might think stupid to know about someone else: favorite color, drink, food, place to go…stuff like that. Personally, I think knowing those kinds of things strengthens a friendship…or relationship. I mean, not that Kuvira and I have one or anything…

"Tell me something about yourself," Kuvira says, her voice soft as we walk through the small garden of Suyin's home.

We got back around eleven, so most of the Beifong family and probably Korra was asleep. Kuvira said it wasn't a good decision to go through the front since we'd have to walk past most of their rooms to get to hers. Turns out she has her own little quarters at the end of the east side of Su's home. She offered to walk me back to my own room, but I declined as I wanted to spend more time with her…duh…

"Um…well, what do you want to know?" I ask.

"Anything you want," she says, smiling a little and I swear my heart just skipped a beat. She runs her hand through her raven black hair and seriously is she trying to make me fall for her?

"Um…well…if it's interesting enough…my dad tried to kill me."

"Are you serious?" she says back, her green eyes widening slightly in shock. "No way…"

"Yes way…I'm assuming you heard about Amon and how he was taking away people's bending?" She nods, so I continue. "Well…since my dad and I were non-benders, he wanted to join the Equalists. He began developing mecha-tanks for the Equalists to use against the benders to progress their movement for equality.

"My father was so caught up in the equality cause that I don't think he realized what he was really doing. I like to tell myself that he was manipulated or coerced some way into helping Amon, but I don't know if I can believe that. I just don't want to think that he was willing to kill Korra and my friends…even me…to achieve Amon's goal."

"Wow…that's…I don't really know how to respond to that. I guess I'd say that I'm sorry to hear that, but then I think I'd be rubbing the fact that your father tried to kill you in your face," Kuvira replies, a small, dorky smile coming to her face.

I can't help but laugh.

"What? Oh come on…don't laugh at me!"

Even in the darkness of the night I can still tell she's blushing. It's too cute. I rarely saw Kuvira's confident mask falter while we were out in Zao Fu today. Even when we went out for drinks she still seemed a little on edge. I guess that happens when you're the personal guard of the matriarch of Zao Fu.

"I mean…it's horrible to think about, but at the same time, you're completely right. Like…my father tried to kill me and my friends. It's horrible…"

"Um…on a more serious note, do you think you'll forgive him?" Kuvira asks, and she looks at me, her eyes soft as they reflect some of the moonlight. I know this isn't supposed to be romantic, but it is to me…

"I-I don't know. Part of me says that I should, but then another part of me doesn't know if I can trust him again," I say quietly, glancing away from her for a moment.

"Oh…well…" she trails off for a moment as she unlocks one of the back doors to her living quarters. "I think you should try." She holds the door open for me, and she closes it quietly even though we're further away from Suyin and the rest of the gang. She nods towards a staircase, and I follow her up…assuming her bedroom is upstairs. She could be leading me to like some – okay yeah…it is her bedroom.

"I think I will…eventually."

"Forgiveness is always a good thing. It can never really be a bad decision. Would you like a drink?" she asks suddenly, smiling softly as she opens the door to her room. "I mean, I know we just went out but…just wondering…"

"Yeah actually, that would be nice. Thanks," I respond.

She nods, and she goes over to a small cabinet, pulling out two glasses and a bottle of a darker looking liquid. She hands me a glass, filling it not even half way before she pours some into her own glass.

I take a small sip, my taste buds and throat not prepared for the strength of the alcohol. Yup…I thought it was whiskey. "Do you usually drink?" I ask, clearing my throat a little.

"I don't usually have the leisure as I'm almost always on duty. I can't wake up regularly with hangovers," she answers, setting her coat down on her desk. "So, to directly answer your question: no, I don't drink often."

Kuvira opens the French style doors that lead out to a small balcony. She walks out, and smiles back at me. I take that as a cue to join her. There's a slight chill to their air, and I resist the urge to cuddle against Kuvira. Crap, my feelings are getting the better of me…and I don't want to do something stupid.

I quickly toss back the remaining alcohol in my glass.

"Would you like another?" Kuvira asks softly and damn how is she so charming?

"Yeah, thanks," I say back. She pours some more whiskey into my glass. She hasn't finished hers yet, and she takes a few more sips.

"Um…are you sure you don't want me to walk you back to your room? I have no problem with it," she says, turning towards me and leaning on the railing of the balcony.

"I'm fine really," I answer. "In all honesty, it's nice being with you right now." Shit, shit, fuck, no! I'm getting myself in too deep with her now. If I don't stop soon, then I'll definitely do something I'll regret.

I take a few sips of my second glass.

"Yeah, this is nice. It's been a while since I've had a relaxing night. Usually I get off duty later and can't fall asleep until early in the morning," she says, and I pick up a slight sadness to her voice.

"You don't sleep well?"

"Nah…just…a lot of thoughts, ya know?" She looks up at me, and even in the faint moonlight I can tell her eyes don't carry the usual bright green flare they usually do.

I decide not to push the subject and finish the rest of my whiskey.

She fills my glass again.

"I know what you mean. I think we all have those nights every once in a while," I say back, giving Kuvira a soft smile.

She finishes only her first glass and pours herself another.

We fall into a comfortable silence, just looking out at the scattered lights across Zao Fu. The giant metal plates have already been pulled up, encasing the city under the secure dome. The precautions this city has are amazing. It feels safe…and I like that feeling. Back in Republic City, there was always a risk of crime in quite a few areas, especially where one of the Future Industries' factories is.

I know the alcohol is starting to cloud my head, but I really don't care.

I fill my third glass.

"Kuvira?" I asy softly.

"Hm?" She turns her attention to me, her lips pressed into a thin line yet her eyes alert, letting me know she was listening to me.

"Where are your parents? Or…what happened to them?"

I don't know if I hit a nerve or not, but Kuvira turns her face away from me. She doesn't respond for a few moments, leaving the silence to grow a little awkward now. I'm about to interject and apologize, but she opens her mouth to speak.

"Do you want the truth?" she asks.

"Hm…depends…what's the lie?" I return, leaning on the railing now and a little bit towards her.

She looks up at me, an unreadable expression on her face. It's not a smile, or a grin, and it's not even a scowl or grimace if one could think it was. It's something in between if that's even possible.

"That they were killed by bandits on a trip from Ba Sing Se," she says.

"That sounds tragic. Do you always get away with that?"

"Yes. Suyin knows the truth. In fact her whole family does."

"Can I?"

"I think I trust you enough. I don't know why…I just do," she says back with a slight nod of her head. "They uh…they abandoned me. They never thought I'd do anything with my life. It took me a little longer than most kids to grasp my abilities of earth bending. Their lessons with me would always drag on longer than necessary. They called me pathetic and weak…undeserving…a failure…

"So, one day my father was at a loss for a job. We quickly fell into poverty, so they decided to pursue economic opportunities in Republic City. I was at a friend's house that day. They didn't tell me they were leaving or where they were going. I came home to an empty house. It was locked…I would say I was afraid, but I guess I was more confused as to why they would just leave me like that. I-I guess that's all you really need to know. And yes, that is the truth."

I can't help the anger that goes through me towards her parents. Maybe the alcohol is putting my control over my emotions out of whack, but all I know is that right now I'm furious at those people for abandoning such an amazing person and that I'm falling hard for Kuvira.

"How could they do that to you?"

"That's what keeps me up at night," she says, and for some odd reason she smiles at me. It's a sad smile though. I can see the pain in her eyes.

I pour myself another glass of whiskey and instantly take a few sips.

"But you aren't weak. You aren't pathetic. You're an expert metal and earth bender, and you're the personal guard to the matriarch of Zao Fu! I bet they would regret everything they said and did to you if they saw you now…"

"I'd like to hope they would. I'd love them to see how successful I've become here. It did take me longer to grasp the skills of bending, but once I did there was no stopping me from excelling at it," she says.

"You're amazing…" My voice comes out as more of a whisper now, our eyes locking as she gives me a genuine smile this time.

I set my glass down, officially feeling more drunk than I should probably be, and I grab her by the collar of her shirt and pull her lips to mine.

Yeah, it's definitely the alcohol.

_(Kuvira's POV)_

If I knew I'd be making out with Asami right now, I wouldn't have poured her that first glass of whiskey.

If I knew she'd eagerly pull me towards my bed, her arms locked around my shoulders, I wouldn't have poured her that second glass of whiskey.

If I knew both of our clothes would be lying carelessly on the floor right now, I wouldn't have poured her that third glass of whiskey.

And if I knew that she had been sending me signals all day of her feelings for me – even if it was only a crush, I wouldn't have let her pour herself that fourth glass of whiskey.

Part of me feels guilty for doing this. Why? I don't know. Maybe because I know I have feelings for Korra instead. But we aren't even together so I don't understand why this would matter so much to me.

But then the other part of me doesn't care. It's been so long since I've been this intimate with someone. It's been so long since I've felt _close_ to someone. I guess I never knew just how much I was craving someone else's touch, someone else's love.

I never knew someone else could genuinely like me back…could develop feelings for me. And maybe Asami was just acting out of a drunken haze and this won't mean anything to her tomorrow morning, but it won't stop me from making her feel like the most important girl in the world tonight.

She shudders, gasps, caves under my touch. I can feel the heat from her skin radiating off of my own. It only adds to the intimacy.

I push away any thoughts of tomorrow trying to infiltrate into my head. No, there is no place for those thoughts right now. Instead, I focus on the girl beneath me – the ragged breaths escaping her, the thin coating of sweat on her skin, the smooth curve of her breasts, the way our lips meet for heated yet passionate kisses, and the way she comes completely undone in front of me, her lips moaning my name over and over before she collapses in ragged breathing and small whimpers.

I hold her close, and she grips tightly to me, her nails almost digging into my skin, and I know there will be scratch marks there tomorrow morning. I pull the blanket over us, and Asami tries to snuggle her way closer to me.

Eventually she lies on her back. I prop myself up with my elbow, and I smile down at her, tracing small patterns on the skin of her stomach with my finger.

I feel her hand run through my now loose hair, pushing a few strands out of my face. I don't know why, but when our eyes meet, it's like I know it's coming. She's drunk and probably convinced she's fallen for me, and that's why she's about to say it.

"Kuvira…I lo-,"

I swallow the words with a soft kiss to her lips. No…there is no place for that here and now. Even if she's drunk, and even if this is just a one-time thing, I will not allow her to say those three words to me. Because she is not mine, and I will never be hers.

_(Asami's POV)_

"Ughhhh…" I groan out probably more dramatically than was called for and rub my temples a little. I have a killer headache and I am not too happy about that.

It takes me a few moments to come to terms with my surroundings. I'm not in my room and Kuvira is in bed next to me, and there's a slight aching between my legs. And then all the recollection of last night crashes into me: I had sex with Kuvira.

I look to my right and see Kuvira already in her uniform pants and a plain white tank-top. She finishes braiding her hair before she turns around. She smiles softly when she sees me. I return it in part. I don't know if I made a mistake last night. Probably…yeah…it'll probably turn around and bite me in the ass later on. It didn't do anything for my feelings for her though. If anything they probably got stronger.

"Kuvira…" I say softly.

"Hm?"

"Um…do you have uh…is there any possibility that you have feelings for me?" I ask hesitantly. She sits on the edge of the bed and looks at me with a gentle expression.

"Do you want the truth?"

A small smirk comes to my face as I remember her asking me that last night, but it quickly fades as I realize what that means.

"The truth is always the best…no matter how much it might hurt," I mumble.

"Look, Asami…I like you, but…I guess only as a friend," she says, her voice almost delicate yet it still manages to make my heart feel like it's shattering.

"I uh…I hope that last night wasn't a mist-,"

"No, no…it wasn't. Trust me," I say quickly, taking her hands in my own. "It wasn't a mistake. I don't regret it. Don't worry about it."

"But…I know that you like me Asami. In a more than friends way too. I only hope I didn't hurt you," she says softly. Gosh she's too damn sweet.

"It's fine Kuvira. Really…you didn't hurt me. Last night was amazing. I know you want to go on as friends, and…I guess I agree with you." I let out a small sigh, looking away from her for a moment, and I'm about to speak up again when a knock at the door disrupts me.

"I'll get it," Kuvira says, standing up quickly. "Probably Suyin coming to yell at me about how I'm not on duty yet."

"Wait…you're supposed to be working now?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it though," she answers with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Well…I made Kuvira late for her guard duties and I'm in her room – which still smells like sex – and if it's Suyin then I'm sure we'll never hear the end of this from her all day. Seriously, that woman teased Kuvira so much…she'll never let her off if she finds out we slept with each other.

_(Kuvira's POV)_

I knew it was Suyin the second I heard the angry knocking…because who else is able to get into my living quarters and know which room is my bedroom?

The knocking doesn't stop until I open the door, and Suyin stands in front of me, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes narrowed at me.

"Why aren't you on duty yet?" she asks harshly.

"Um…do you want me to just tell you or do - ,"

"Just tell me please…"

"Uh…I sort of went out with Asami last night and…"

"Oh. My. Gosh…" Suyin stares at me, her eyes wider now as a small smirk plays its way onto her lips. "You slept with her?"

I blush and look away, giving a small nod to affirm her question. Of course, Asami is still in my room so I'm just hoping she didn't hear some of this.

"Yeah…I have to get ready. So does she," I say back. "We'll be down in ten minutes."

"Jeez…you're unbelievable sometimes Kuvira. How did you manage to get her so quickly?"

"Can we not talk about this right now please?"

She rolls her eyes and lets out an over-exaggerated groan. "Fine…I'll leave you alone now. And please do come down quickly. Don't go another round with her." She leaves me with an intense blush on my face. That woman sometimes I swear…

Asami smiles at me once I turn to face her again, and a small laugh escapes me.

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing…just Suyin giving me shit, as usual," I say, going over to her. She's already changed back into her clothes from last night, and I take her hands in my own. "I can walk you back to your room. It's on the way to where I have to go so it's really not a problem."

"Yeah…that would be good, thanks," she replies. "I think I should probably change again before I see anyone."

"Scandalous," I say, and she laughs, her eyes lighting up as they meet my own.

I quickly throw on my uniform shirt along with the metal armor, easily bending the material around my clothes. I guess it'll be hard to shake some of the guilt I have about sleeping with Asami. I know she likes me. I just hope she wasn't lying to me when she said she didn't regret it. That would make me feel even worse. I mean…of course last night was fun. I haven't had that in a long time with someone. But…I sort of feel like an asshole considering I could never feel anything but basic attraction for Asami.

I just hope Korra doesn't find out. Then that would really ruin any chance I have with her.

_(Korra's POV)_

It didn't take long for me to put two and two together; Kuvira showing up late for her guard duties with Suyin, and Asami joining us ten minutes later, blushing slightly when she looked over at Kuvira. They had sex with each other last night. Why? _Why?!_

Gosh…why didn't I ask Kuvira out earlier? Asami beat me to it, and now they're probably all mushy with each other and yeah I'm pretty fucking jealous because I have a major crush on Kuvira.

So now I have to spend spirits knows how long with Kuvira while she and Suyin give me metal bending lessons.

It's been rough. Su always comments on my lack of focus when I try bending the material. _Yeah, maybe it's because I have a crush on one of your guards who happens to be standing right behind me now and who also happens to have slept with my best friend last night._ Yeah, I'm a little distracted.

"Concentrate Korra," I hear Su tell me now for what's probably the millionth time. "Feel the metal in your hands. Focus on what you want to do with it."

I follow her directions, and push any external thoughts of Kuvira out of my mind for the moment. I move my hands around the metal, feeling the texture of it against my skin. I picture myself flattening the metal into a thin sheet, and I close my eyes.

It's a quick process. In fact, I didn't even know it was happening until I didn't feel the metal hitting my skin anymore. At first I thought I dropped it, but when I open my eyes, I find a small disk of metal floating between my hands.

"Hey, I did it!" I exclaim, a bright smile coming to my face. "Yeah! The Avatar is now a metal bender!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself now," Suyin says with a small laugh. "Yes, you caught on quickly, but metal bending takes a different form in combat. Your stance and movements will be different."

"Try me! I can do it easily!"

"You just learned the basics of actually bending metal," Kuvira chimes in, and soon she's standing in front of me, her eyebrow raised and her lips turned into her usual smirk that irritates me now but I can't help but still find it so damn attractive. "You need more practice before you can actually go through with a sparring match."

"I'll be fine! I'll learn it with no problem and then I'll kick your ass!" I return her smirk with a confident grin of my own.

"Careful Avatar…you don't know what's coming to you," Kuvira says back, her voice lower now as she narrows her eyes. I don't even know if she's being serious or not right now, but that look was enough to send a shiver down my spine…and I don't know if it was the good or bad kind of shiver either.

I keep my composure and the grin stays on my face. "Bring it. I'm the Avatar, and you gotta deal with it! I can totally beat you in a fight!"

"Maybe if you used the Avatar State…I'm talking about just metal and earth bending here," Kuvira challenges, and her smirk seems to grow more arrogant by the second. And I don't know why, but an extremely cocky Kuvira is insanely sexy to me.

"Fine…give me a little more time and we'll duel it out," I say, my voice strong and firm even though – in all honesty – I'm like shitting my pants right now. Kuvira is really intimidating and I'm sure she's actually a great metal and earth bender. Oh well…I guess I'll have to endure the torture of getting my ass handed to me.

"I'm supposed to help you become more effective at metal bending," Kuvira says, her expression neutral again as she sets her helmet down on the ground.

"I can metal bend already."

"But not that well," she counters, and a dorky grin replaces the smirk previously on her face. "You need to be lighter on your feet. Think of it like air bending. You need to move fluidly while still keeping in contact with the element you're controlling."

I nod in response. Even though knowing she slept with Asami still angers me, I don't want to let that get in the way of learning how to metal bend. Also, I guess I'm just insanely jealous that it wasn't me in bed with Kuvira last night. Oh well…one can still hope.

"Keep your eyes open this time," Kuvira tells me. "Copy what I do. This is a basic ready stance for when you're in a metal bending combat."

The stance is pretty similar to one I'd do if I was just regular earth bending, although Kuvira's feet are a little closer together, and her arms are held a little higher rather than near the waist like I'd do with earth bending. I follow suit quickly, copying her stance and trying to make sure my posture is as perfect as it can be.

"Good," she comments before she walks over to me. "Get your elbows out a little more." I wasn't ready for the sudden contact with her hand, and my breath hitches in my throat. Luckily, she didn't notice it…that would have been awkward. She moves my elbow out only a few centimeters.

"How does that even make a difference?" I ask, looking up to her.

"You want to be fairly loose to allow yourself to be as mobile as possible," she says, and I notice her eyes scanning over me. I know she's inspecting my stance, but I'm secretly hoping she's checking me out. "I know that with earth bending, you want to be more explosive, but metal bending is about combining explosiveness with mobility. Metal cables, cuffs, and even things like knives can be propelled faster than earth can. You have to stay quick and be able to dodge anything that comes at you."

I nod, not really knowing how to respond since her voice is so damn sexy and I could listen to her talk all day. But…I still know what she said. It's not like I zoned out or anything…

"Don't bend your knees too much," she says. "This isn't earth bending. I feel like I'll have you remind you a million times."

"Yeah, well sorry I'm learning."

"What, I thought you were a quick learner?" Kuvira raises an eyebrow at me, and I look away to hide the small blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"I swear, I'm gonna beat your ass so hard…" I mumble.

"Mhmm…keep telling yourself that."

I adjust my stance again so my knees are bent just slightly now, and I actually notice the difference. I instantly feel as if I can be lighter on my feet. Maybe I really should listen to – okay, when did she get behind me?

"Let go of the tension in your shoulders," she says, and her breath just barely grazes over my neck, but it's enough to make me shudder. I _really_ hope she didn't notice that. "Why are you so tense right now Avatar Korra?" Gosh, when she uses the Avatar title with my name…

"I-I don't know…" I get out weakly. Jeez, what is this girl doing to me?

"Take some deep breaths. Forget about anything that might be troubling you right now: Avatar duties, Zaheer…jealousy…" She says the last word softly, her voice almost sounding seductive in a way. And then she's in front of me again, smirking back to me with a slight glare in her eyes that's completely unreadable.

"Um…I am totally not jealous of anything," I say back.

"Oh really?" She smirks a little as she places her hands on my shoulders, pushing them down slightly, and I feel some of the tension go away. _That damn smirk though…_

"Yes really," I answer. "I'm not jealous. In fact, I'm kind of angry that you slept with my best friend." Yep…there it is…the words coming out of my mouth before I actually think about what I'm going to say. Damn it! Why can't I have a filter sometimes?

Instead of being shocked or returning my anger like I expect her to, Kuvira just looks at me with no expression on her face at all. I notice Suyin left…probably wanted to get away from all the sexual tension going on here right now… I don't blame her; this is almost unbearable.

"And why are you angry with me?" Kuvira asks, her voice soft and calm.

"Because she genuinely likes you!" I exclaim, coming out of the metal bending stance as I throw my arms up slightly in exasperation. "She likes you, and you just had sex with her like it was noth-,"

"For the record…she kissed me first," Kuvira interjects. "We were both drunk…well, she was drunk, and I was slightly buzzed. But you need to understand that no feelings were involved. No important or romantic feelings, if that's what you're worried about."

"She still likes you though! And I know you don't have feelings for her in return. And I like you too, so fine…I guess I am kind of jealous!" Damn…not having a filter again. I hate myself sometimes. Now this is awkward.

"You like me?" Kuvira's voice takes on more of a surprised tone now, and her expression softens a little as we look back at each other.

"Um…did I say that? I mean, I meant like…ya know…" Shit, I'm really digging myself into a hole now. Yeah, I can't recover from this one.

"You meant like, you have a crush on me?"

"Yes, okay! And even though we just met literally yesterday…I-I really like you Kuvira." I groan and turn away, walking over to the small gazebo in the courtyard and sitting on one of the steps.

Kuvira comes over to me soon after, a small smile on her face as she sits down next to me. "For what it's worth…I like you too," she says quietly.

"Wait, what? No…you're just saying that to make me feel better…"

"No, I'm not. I don't say things I don't mean. I wouldn't lie to someone like that…especially you." She smiles again, and I notice how it lights up her green eyes. Wow, she's gorgeous. "I'm serious Korra. The moment I saw you I was drawn to you. Maybe it was because you were a lot like me I guess…sarcastic and brash and headstrong sometimes. I don't know…I felt like you were someone I'd be able to form a friendship with. And…I guess that feeling turned into hoping for something more."

"I-I would say the same thing, but you basically stole the words right out of my mouth," I say back, letting a soft laugh escape me. "I just…I hate diving into my feelings too quickly now. I mean, I had a previous relationship that didn't go too well because we rushed into things. Took us a while to figure out we were so much better as friends."

"That's understandable," she replies with a small nod. "I've…never had a lasting relationship before. Only one with my previous patrol partner, and even then…it was more of a friends with benefits thing than an actual relationship."

"Wait, you slept with your patrol partner?"

"Yep…"

"That's scandalous," I say, and a shy grin comes to my face for some weird reason.

"Well…that's why I have a new patrol partner. Su found out and…she wasn't necessarily mad, but she didn't want rumors and stuff going around the rest of the Guard."

"Still though…look at you, getting all the girls huh?" I joke. She merely laughs in return and shakes her head.

"Actually not really. I'm not too cut out for relationships."

"That's a load of crap."

"Really? How?"

"Well…" I tap my chin as I think for a moment, and I glance over at Kuvira with a small grin on my face. "You managed to get Asami Sato in your bed literally the day you met her."

I swear, Kuvira's face right now is something I will hold over her for the rest of her life. Her face is on fire, and her eyes are wide with embarrassment. Jeez, she is so damn adorable.

"Um…that was unexpected," she replies, her voice soft as she looks away from me.

I nudge her playfully with my elbow. "Hey…so many people would kill to go on a date with Asami. I'd probably date her too if I didn't have a massive crush on you. But seriously…I'm sure you could score with any girl you wanted."

"Well…I kind of want you," she says. She looks back at me, a shy smile tugging at her lips as her eyes carry a hopeful look to them. I swear, this girl is the definition of charming…awkward, but charming.

"Then let's go out tonight. Let's go on a date," I suggest, returning her smile as a soft blush infiltrates onto my cheeks.

"Wait, really? Y-You want to go out with me?"

"I'd love it," I answer honestly and genuinely. "Kuvira, I really like you. I-I think that if we stay connected with each other, even when I leave Zao Fu, we might be able to work something out."

"Wow…uh, I'd really like that Korra. And, I'd love to take you on a date. I know a great restaurant a little ways into the heart of Zao Fu. I think you'll really like it."

"Awesome!" My smile grows wider as I take her hands in mine, and both of us blush as we look down to our now joined hands. "But uh…one condition."

"Oh? What's that?" She grins and does her usual thing when she raises an eyebrow at me and smirks. She really needs to stop doing that to me, otherwise I might just melt into a puddle at her feet at some point.

"This is our first date. And I know you're attracted to me, and I am to you as well. But…" I trail off for a short moment before I take a bolder move and place a soft kiss on her cheek. "No sex tonight."

I shoot her a playful wink, returning her devilish smirk before I walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS! I HAVE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO ASK YOU!
> 
> I'm thinking of adding a few Kuvirasami shorts in here every once in a while when the feeling is right. I really want to explore what their relationship might have been after Book 4 as well as write some AUs for them as I really like the idea of them as a couple. So...leave me some head canons for Kuvirasami and I'll jot them down to remember!
> 
> For my next Korvira short, should I do an abusive relationship or a 50 Shades of Grey AU?
> 
> Both will be pretty sad. The only upside to the 50 SoG AU is that there will be plenty of smut, although there will be trigger warnings applicable since it does deal with BDSM relationships.
> 
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> As always, happy reading!
> 
> \- A


	7. Love The Way You Lie

Title: Love The Way You Lie

Universe: Canon – five years after Book 4, which makes Kuvira and Korra around 26 or 27.

Rating: M for language and abuse within a relationship

Summary: After Suyin strikes a deal to release Kuvira from prison early, Korra takes it upon herself to help Kuvira handle the mental anguish Kuvira has been suffering. Their relationship goes from a simple friendship to something much more. And what comes with being closer to Kuvira…Korra wasn't ready to find out…not like this.

Pairings: Korvira, Korrasami friendship, Kuvirasami friendship

Point of view: Third person omniscient

Trigger warnings: Situations dealing with an abusive relationship and self-harm

* * *

**A/N: So based off your opinions, I've decided to do this instead of a 50 Shades of Grey AU (don't worry, that one will come in the future though).**

**I tried not to make the abuse too descriptive, although I'll still warn any of you who might be triggered by this. I chose to focus mostly on the emotions involved for both Korra and Kuvira instead of the actual abuse going on since I'm sure you can imagine what Kuvira could do if she got angry.**

* * *

_The first time it happened neither of them knew how to react. It was so sudden and unexpected. The words shouted and the insults hurled during the argument sliced through each of their hearts like a freshly sharpened knife. They were both being pushed towards the edge, and that edge entailed different reactions for them both._

"I told you! You can't retaliate if someone does something to you!" Korra yelled the second she opened the door to her and Kuvira's home.

Kuvira sat on the couch, feeling beaten down and defeated already. She didn't need another lecture. Lin had given her one on the drive back.

In Kuvira's defense, she was only protecting herself. It had been rough for her ever since Suyin struck a deal with President Raiko to release her from prison early. Five years was still a long time, but it felt like nothing compared to her original twenty-five year sentence. Apparently Suyin had convinced Raiko that having Kuvira do service in repairing Republic City was much more useful than simply having her rot away in a cell for most of her life.

Kuvira agreed. Plus, she was able to gain more trust among the citizens of the city by showing she felt true regret for her actions and that she was determined to help repair the damages in any way she could, and most importantly show the people she was not the ruthless dictator she was those years ago.

But, incidents like this made people lose hope that she had actually changed.

She was just out in the city, buying the food on the list Korra had given her before the Avatar went to Air Temple Island for most of the day. She was minding her own business. Sure, people always talked and pointed whenever they saw her out alone, as seeing the former Great Uniter doing 'normal people' things was so hard for them to comprehend.

But there were still people who hated her, people who wanted to get revenge on her for destroying their home or family…or both.

The man had come out of thin air it seemed to Kuvira. He threw insults at her and even sent a few punches her way. He had landed a fist to the center of her nose, and that's when Kuvira snapped. She had bent the metal bracelets off her wrists and hurled them back at the man – the tips and edges sharpened enough to easily cut his skin. She wasn't aiming to hurt or kill though, she merely wanted to restrain. But the incident was enough to attract the attention of the Republic City Police.

She got lucky; Lin Beifong was the cop who answered the call, so she was able to let Kuvira off. She claimed Kuvira was acting in self-defense, and since Kuvira had the bloody nose and bruised cheek to prove that the man had lashed out, she was able to go home that night.

But…things didn't get any better for Kuvira once her girlfriend of almost eleven months walked through the front door. Korra had heard about the incident. Obviously, why wouldn't she? She's the Avatar and Lin's friend after all.

Kuvira was worn down anyway, both physically and emotionally…but more so emotionally. She knew Korra would be disappointed, and she hated making her girlfriend feel that way. So, when Korra burst into their home, shouting at Kuvira about how wrong her actions were, Kuvira's sadness and anger only built up more.

"What was I supposed to do?" Kuvira snapped, cutting Korra off from her strain of insults out of frustration. "Was I just supposed to let him beat me?"

"No…Kuvira, you could have defended yourself without nearly slicing his neck open!" Korra shouted.

"I wasn't aiming to hurt him like that!" Kuvira said, her voice rising a little as she stood up from the couch and faced Korra.

"It doesn't matter! You were threatening to him, and you have a reputation to uphold! You're trying to show the people of Republic City and all the nations that you've changed, that you aren't the ruthless, heartless person you were when you hid behind that Great Uniter mask! This…this only proves to them that you're still the same!"

Kuvira could see the way Korra's bright blue eyes glistened with tears, but she was too angry to care. Korra had no right to tell her how to behave. She wasn't just going to let that man hurt her. She was defending herself. She wasn't going to kill him.

"Maybe I was wrong," Korra continued, the volume of her voice quieter now yet it still held a high level of harshness to it. Korra's tone made Kuvira wince. She hated when Korra talked to her like this. Although her voice was calm, Kuvira knew the amount of anger Korra was holding in.

"Maybe you are still heartless…"

"Excuse me?" Kuvira shot back, narrowing her eyes at Korra as she took a step towards the Avatar.

"Maybe you'll always revert to the way you used to be. Or maybe you haven't even changed at all! Maybe you're still the Great Uniter and you just have us all fooled. Maybe violence and killing is the only thing you know how to do now!"

"Korra…stop," Kuvira said, her voice cracking as she tried to hold in her anger now.

"No Kuvira…answer me now…did you really leave behind the person you used to be?"

"Yes. I did. Korra, I swear, I've changed. I told you that I was caught up in my - ,"

"I don't want to hear it…I don't believe you…"

"What? How could you say something like that to me?" Kuvira took another step towards Korra, anger now flashing across her green eyes.

"You could have killed that man today! Don't you realize that Kuvira? You've hurt people! You still do! You've _murdered_ innocent people! You distanced yourself from everyone you worked with, even Su and Baatar…you never really loved them, did you?"

"They were like family to me Korra…of course I loved them. I would - ,"

"You almost killed them! You dragged Baatar Jr. into your plan and…"

Kuvira tuned Korra out. She couldn't bear to hear it anymore. She couldn't stand here and go through the mental torture of remembering what she had done when she was younger. She couldn't let Korra hurt her like this.

"Do you even…truly love me?"

Kuvira heard the question. She wished she hadn't. The entire time she had been out of prison she was trying to convince Korra that she did, in fact, love her. She was _in love_ with her. It took a lot of effort, but Korra believed her. And now…Kuvira couldn't even process the fact that Korra was questioning her love.

Here she was, doing her best to move on from the monster she used to be, trying to show Korra that she couldn't live without her, and wanting to move past her mistakes and gain forgiveness, and Korra had the _nerve_ to question if her love was true or not?

And something in Kuvira snapped.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Kuvira screamed, and before Korra could even react, the palm of Kuvira's hand flew into the side of her face, slapping her so hard she saw stars, and she was slammed hard against the wall, Kuvira gripping the collar of her shirt.

Korra felt tears in her eyes again, not just because of the fact that Kuvira – the woman she loved, the woman she wanted to be with for the rest of her life – just hit her, but also because she saw something in Kuvira's eyes that she hadn't seen for years. Anger was there of course, but another emotion she never thought she would see…especially not glaring right back at her. Korra didn't want to admit it…but it was there…

Hatred.

And if it were anyone else, Korra would have fought back. She would have defended herself; Spirits know she would never let anyone push her around like this. But it was Kuvira, and Korra swore to herself that she would never hurt her girlfriend…but she knew she had failed. She knew she had hurt Kuvira so many times before. Always emotionally though. And a part of Korra thought that was far worse than any physical pain.

"I can't fucking believe that you don't think I love you," Kuvira growled, her hands now pushing Korra's shoulders into the wall, her nails digging into the Avatar's skin, and Korra could feel the faint trickle of blood down her skin now.

"K-Kuvira…you're hurti- ,"

"Shut up…" Kuvira hissed, keeping her eyes locked with Korra's. "What do you think I've been doing ever since I got out of prison huh? Everything I did, I did for you, to let you know that I loved you…and you have the fucking nerve to turn around right now and question whether or not my feelings were true…they are true, Korra. I love you. I'm in love with you, and nothing will change that. But since you apparently think that I don't, maybe we shouldn't be together right now."

"No…Kuvira…don't say that. I'm sorry, okay? I went too - ,"

"You're sorry? Yeah, you will be…" Kuvira let go of Korra's shoulders, and the Avatar let out a strained whine of pain as she felt the strong stinging of the cuts on her skin.

But Kuvira wasn't done. Korra was too hunched over in pain and heartbreak that she didn't even see the fist coming towards her. Kuvira hit her hard, and Korra knew there would be a dark bruise on her cheek tomorrow. But she couldn't bring herself to fight back still. She refused to hurt Kuvira like this.

"Get out…" Kuvira said, her voice low and threatening as she turned away from Korra. The former Great Uniter was seething with rage, and she had no idea what she would do if Korra stayed near her for much longer.

Korra didn't even say anything to Kuvira as she hurried away from her girlfriend, holding her cheek in her hand as she left their home.

Once the door clicked shut, Kuvira broke down.

* * *

"Korra! Oh my gosh, what happened?" Asami instantly let Korra into her home once she saw her best friend's appearance. The skin around her left cheek was slightly darkened into a bruise already, and Asami saw the faint smear of blood on Korra's shoulders.

"It-It just h-happened and I-I don't know why she did it but…she did and…I - ,"

"Wait…slow down…" Asami put an arm around Korra's waist as she led her friend to the couch. Korra wouldn't make eye contact with her, and Asami took Korra's hands in her own once they sat down next to each other.

"I don't want to push you to talk about it now…whatever happened…it obviously hurt you a lot. I just want to make sure you're going to be okay," Asami said softly, giving Korra a soft, encouraging smile.

"I just…what did I do wrong?" Korra finally looked up at Asami, her normally bright blue eyes now darkened with sadness and fear, and tears stained her cheeks. By just looking into her eyes, Asami could feel Korra's pain and heartbreak.

"What happened?" Asami asked, her voice soft and gentle.

"We-We had an argument…over wh-what happened earlier today," Korra started, and Asami knew it was something to do with Kuvira.

"I went too far," Korra continued. "I-I said some horrible things…to her and she-she just…snapped and - ,"

"Kuvira did this to you?" Asami's eyes widened in realization as she took in the dark bruise on Korra's cheek.

Korra responded with only a weak nod.

"And you're still with her? How many times has this happened?"

"This is the first…and I'm not br-breaking up with her. I-I love her…"

"I told you Korra! I was always worried about Kuvira! I saw how aggressive she got sometimes!"

"Asami…stop…it-it's not her fault!" Korra said back, her voice almost pleading for Asami to listen to her. "I-I pushed her…I deserve it…"

"No. Don't say that again. No one deserves to be abused by a person who supposedly loves them," Asami replied, her voice firm and unwavering as she stood up from the couch and paced around for a few moments. "I can't believe she did this to you. I swear…the next time I see her I'm gonna - ,"

"No, Asami…I'm gonna talk to her," Korra interrupted, desperation in her voice now. "Please…let me do this. Guaranteed this is hurting Kuvira just as much as it's hurting me. We'll work something out…"

Asami took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Fine," she answered. "But if this happens again…then _I'll_ be the one talking to Kuvira."

Korra nodded in understanding. She knew Asami only wanted to protect her and make sure she was okay, but right now, Korra needed to fix her relationship with Kuvira and figure out what was going on because Kuvira _never_ got that angry at her before. Korra knew that this time, she needed to handle this alone with Kuvira, because whatever just happened between them, they'd be able to fix it together.

Asami, on the other hand, was extremely doubtful of the nature of Korra and Kuvira's relationship. She always had a feeling Kuvira could be aggressive. She knew that Kuvira tried to stay as calm as possible, but if Kuvira was pushed too far she would snap and take her anger out on the closest thing to her.

Asami knew how ruthless Kuvira was in battle. Hell, that woman almost killed Korra multiple times and yet Korra _found a fucking way_ to fall in love with her! It was extremely difficult for Asami to accept at first. She had had feelings for Korra for quite a while, and she had hoped that once Kuvira was sent away to prison she would have the opportunity to act on her feelings. But they were not returned.

It was awkward for a few weeks between them after their vacation to the Spirit World. Asami vividly remembers those weeks spent cooped up in her home, stressing over whether or not she could make things normal again with Korra.

Luckily, it was possible, as Korra was actually the one to go to Asami and tell the young engineer that she didn't want to lose their friendship. Asami was too important to her, and they had come too far to lose everything just because their feelings got in the way.

But that was beside the point now. Asami voiced her opinion of Kuvira many times to Korra. She always thought the metal bender had a much darker side to her. She didn't jump to any conclusions though; she wanted to give Kuvira a chance, and while Asami was still wary of her, she saw how much Korra loved her, so she was able to put up with it. But now…now there was no excuse. Kuvira had hit Korra, and Asami didn't want her best friend to be stuck in an abusive relationship.

She only hoped they would work it out.

* * *

 

_The second time it happened was four months later. It was unexpected again, and Korra still blamed herself for it. Another argument, and another time Korra pushed Kuvira too far. But this time…it was Asami's turn to talk to Kuvira._

They had made it four months.

Korra thought everything would be okay after the first time. And she was right for the most part.

Kuvira had apologized to Korra, and Korra had accepted the apology of course. Korra knew it wasn't Kuvira's fault. The metal bender had still been struggling with the guilt of everything she had done as the Great Uniter, and Korra reminding her of that time in her life certainly wasn't the best course of action. They both knew they said some things they didn't really mean, and Korra was extremely relieved that they were able to move on and forgive each other.

But now, as Korra stood in front of Asami's door, holding her cheek in her hand, tears streaming from her eyes, she wasn't so sure if things would actually get better now.

Asami figured Korra was coming over just to hang out though. It was normal for them to do that. If Asami could credit Kuvira with one good quality, it was that she wasn't jealous or overprotective about Korra going over to her place or even spending the night sometimes. Asami could tell how much Kuvira trusted Korra, but she wasn't sure how much she trusted Kuvira or how much Kuvira even trusted herself.

Asami froze the second she saw Korra, a dark bruise on the side of her face for the second time in only a few months, put there by someone who claimed they loved her.

"I'm handling it this time," Asami said, anger laced through her voice.

"No…Asami, I can - ,"

"Korra, if you keep going back to her then nothing will be accomplished. She'll tell you some bullshit apology and you'll accept it because you're so in love with her you can't even see through her lies anymore!" Asami was on the verge of tears as well. She didn't want to think about how she could be seeing Korra like this more times in the future. Things needed to be done. She had to figure Kuvira out so she could help both of them now.

"She doesn't mean it though…it's not like she…purposely wants to hurt me…" Korra got out, looking back at Asami, her voice soft and broken and tears still clouding her eyes.

Asami let out a soft sigh and nodded. "I know," she said back. "But whatever is causing it to happen, we need to know. Only then can you two start building back your relationship. I'm going to talk to her though. Maybe I can put some sense into her," Asami continued as she grabbed her keys to her Sato Mobile. "Stay here though, and I'll come back once I'm done and I'll tell you everything."

Korra only gave a weak nod in return as she walked over to the couch and lied down, pulling her knees to her chest, her body shaking lightly as silent cries swept through her. Asami bit her lip, keeping her tears at bay, and she left quickly, not wanting to see Korra in that pain anymore.

It started raining on her way to Korra and Kuvira's home, a smaller, one-story house just outside of Republic City. Korra didn't want to live on Air Temple Island, and she didn't want to be in the heart of the city either, given that major repairs to the infrastructure were still in construction from the damage Kuvira had done years earlier.

The rain hit the windshield hard, and Asami struggled to see at some points, but she managed to get to Korra's home safely, and she ran up the driveway and under the awning over the front door, sighing once she was out of the rain.

The young engineer took a moment to compose herself, pushing away her initial anger as she didn't want to make Kuvira more upset than she probably already was.

She knocked gently on the door, hoping Kuvira would answer. She knew things would only get worse if Kuvira shut herself out from others…Asami knew the metal bender had a habit of that, and in a situation like this it would only be more destructive for Kuvira.

Luckily though, Asami heard a light shuffling behind the door, and within a few seconds she was face to face with Kuvira.

Asami didn't know what to say. When her bright green eyes met Kuvira's own green ones now darkened with sadness and guilt, she felt waves of different emotions go through her. Everything from anger to sympathy passed through Asami. As much as she hated knowing that Kuvira had hurt Korra, she still cared about her. Korra loved this woman, and she knew Kuvira loved Korra too. But Asami had to understand why this was going on. If she could help Kuvira…she wanted to.

And then Asami saw the blood.

It wasn't a lot. Just a faint trickle from a couple open cuts on Kuvira's arms, but it was enough to bring tears to Asami's eyes.

"Can I come in?" Asami got out, trying to keep her voice from cracking now.

Kuvira stepped to the side, silently telling Asami she could enter her home, and she shut the door behind them.

"Why are you here?" Kuvira asked. Her voice was low, raspy, and cracked slightly, and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that the metal bender had been crying earlier.

"I just…I don't know…" Asami breathed out. "To get some answers, I guess? But…let me get something for your arms first…a bandage or something…"

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do," Asami answered shortly, and she quickly located the nearest bathroom and searched through a couple drawers before she pulled out a few bandages and went back to Kuvira.

"I don't know why you're helping me right now," Kuvira said, watching as Asami wiped the blood off her arm before wrapping the bandages around the cuts. She winced slightly at the contact. The cuts hurt like a bitch, but Kuvira would never admit to that.

Asami sighed out softly before she looked back to Kuvira, meeting the metal bender's eyes. "…Because I care about you," Asami said softly. She hated admitting it. She was supposed to hate Kuvira right now. And while a part of Asami _did_ resent Kuvira for what she had done to Korra, she knew how important Kuvira was to Korra, and she wanted to help them as best as she could.

"Why?"

Asami knew Kuvira would want her to explain. After all, Kuvira did kill Asami's dad and caused the destruction of most of Republic City as well as some of Asami's Future Industries' factories. And even after Kuvira was out of prison and dating Korra, she and Asami barely interacted with each other. They never really had any meaningful conversations, and hell…Asami had never actually forgiven Kuvira for killing her father.

But through all of that, Asami was still able to push through any hatred she felt for Kuvira and chose to see the good aspects of the woman Korra had fallen head over heels for, even if she saw very few good qualities.

"Korra is my best friend, so I care about the people she cares about," Asami replied. "Part of me still hates you Kuvira…but another part of me wants you to be okay…for Korra. I don't care how many wrongs you've done throughout your life, you don't deserve to suffer like that," she continued, motioning to the bandages on Kuvira's arms.

"Yes I do…" Kuvira muttered back, sitting on the couch. Her shoulders were slouched with defeat and guilt, and her face looked tired already, as if she was under extreme amounts of stress.

"No you don't." Asami followed Kuvira over and kneeled down in front of her. "Kuvira…I get that you regret what happened with Korra, but you can't punish yourself like this."

"I deserve it, Asami…I-I hit her…" Kuvira trailed off, her voice cracking at the end as she tried to hold back a soft cry, but to no avail. "How can she come back to me after that? This is…the second time and…I don't know why I did it…"

"I'll help you," Asami said back, sitting next to Kuvira. "You can get help. I-I know you're stubborn and think that you can work everything out on your own, but you can't do that with this."

"I'll look weak," Kuvira replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I used to be the Great Uniter…people looked up to me…what will they think of me if they see that I'm getting help from someone supposedly below me?"

Asami rolled her eyes and furrowed her brow slightly, taking a few deep breaths. "There you go with that infuriating ego of yours," she muttered. Asami shook her head though. There was no point in starting something with Kuvira right now. "It's not bad to get help, Kuvira," she continued. "It doesn't mean you're weak, it means that you have enough common sense and the courage to admit to yourself that you can't do this on your own."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Kuvira asked, her voice a little firmer now. "Who's gonna help me?"

"I don't know…there are things…therapists…stuff like that. You can find ways to – I don't know how to word this…let off some steam. Find ways to calm yourself down if you feel like you're going to break down," Asami told her.

"Therapy?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow at Asami. "I'm not very good at opening up to people…"

"Then why did you with Korra?" Asami's voice was softer now as she leaned back into the couch. "What about her made you cave in? Why did she become so important to you?"

"She…well…after I was sent to prison, I felt so alone. Su and her family basically hated me with a burning passion…even Baatar Jr. ceased his communication with me for a while," Kuvira started. "I was kept in solitary confinement, so I wasn't even allowed to have visitors anyway, but Korra found a way in since she's the Avatar. I-I was so shocked that of all people to visit me, it would be her. I mean, I hurt her so much…directly and through you and her other friends. But she still came.

"Korra made me feel like I was actually important, and I always doubted if she was true with her intentions or if she just passed her visits off for a while as just something she did because she was the Avatar. Ya know…showing the people that she could forgive an enemy and all that other bullshit. But…after a few months, she started opening up to me. And when I asked her why, she said it was because she wanted to become friends and because she cared about me… She trusted me first, and I can never thank her enough for that. She gave me hope that one day I might get better…but I guess it was false hope…"

"Don't say that." Asami shook her head a little, and she surprised them both when she took one of Kuvira's hands in her own. "You can get better. I know you can. You just need to let more people into your life so they can help you. If you don't think a therapist can do that, then…maybe I can?"

Kuvira looked up at Asami before she quickly glanced away, her eyes lingering on their hands for just a few moments.

"You would do that for me?" Kuvira finally asked softly.

"Of course. I-I want you and Korra to build your relationship back up. I know how happy you two are together, and I don't want to see either of you end up with a broken heart because of something you don't mean to do.

"You both have gone through extremely tough times, and there are a lot of feelings you've stored away, and you both express those feelings differently. But Kuvira…even though I'll help and support you through this, just because you might have some issues due to past incidents, it doesn't excuse you from the fact that you've physically abused Korra…and the emotional impact it's had on her is hard too."

"I just…I don't want to hurt her," Kuvira said back, her eyes meeting Asami's again. "It-It's never happened before. Just that one night…it came out of nowhere. I didn't know why and…I swore it would never happen again…but it did. And now I don't think Korra can trust me."

"She does trust you, Kuvira. If you show her that you're getting help, she'll trust you even more. She loves you, and I know that will never change."

"But why all of a sudden now?" Kuvira asked to no one in particular. "Why did it start now? I've always been able to control my emotions…I-I don't understand…"

Asami nodded slightly, running her thumb gently across the back of Kuvira's hand.

"We'll find out… I promise."

* * *

 

_The third time…was probably the most emotional of all. They had gone the longest without another incident…seven months actually. They had found out what was going on. They knew why Kuvira lashed out the way she did, but there really was no way to stop it, and that's what broke Korra's heart the most._

Borderline Personality.

Kuvira never knew how much two simple words could impact her life. But now she and Korra knew what was going on. There really was no way to help. It was up to them to find effective ways to let Kuvira release any anger or aggression she might be feeling. Kuvira didn't think there was anything that could be done. Korra had suggested that she could go metal or earth bend…maybe even meditation. Kuvira wanted to try; she just didn't think it would work.

"You know…sulking around and wallowing in your misery won't help anything," Korra said, moving a little closer to Kuvira on the couch. "I know you're afraid that you'll end up hurting me again, but at least we know why."

"But you were afraid of me too…" Kuvira mumbled back, looking down at her hands, her fingers laced tightly together.

They found out about the whole Borderline Personality thing a couple months ago. And while there hadn't been another incident of Kuvira lashing out at Korra, the metal bender constantly shied away from any form of physical contact from Korra.

"I could never be afraid of you," Korra answered, sighing out softly. "But I _was_ afraid of where our relationship was going. I didn't know if we were going to stay together. I would never want to leave you anyway... But…distancing yourself from me now certainly won't let us make any progress."

"I just…" Kuvira trailed off, her eyes glued to her hands. "I can't believe that…my hands…the same ones that have held you, touched you…loved you…are the same ones that have caused you so much pain…"

Korra shook her head, and even though she knew Kuvira probably wouldn't return the affection, she placed her arms around the metal bender's shoulders. She could feel Kuvira's muscles tense under her touch. Korra didn't care though, and she rested her chin on Kuvira's shoulder.

"Maybe I am still the Great Uniter…maybe you were right," Kuvira whispered, still not meeting Korra's eyes. She couldn't even if she tried. She was too overwhelmed with guilt. She knew she didn't deserve someone as amazing, perfect, and beautiful as Korra in her life.

"The Great Uniter will always be a part of you," Korra said back, her voice soft as she cuddles closer against Kuvira. "It's not a bad thing. We can never completely rid ourselves of the person we used to be. I've always held onto my stubbornness…and you…you've held onto your – for lack of a better term…aggressiveness."

"Is this supposed to make me feel any better?" Kuvira asked, her voice harder now as she didn't want to be reminded yet again of who she used to be.

"Just…let me explain…please." Korra placed a soft kiss to Kuvira's temple. "You aren't a bad person Kuvira. The Great Uniter wasn't a bad person either. She was someone who felt alone, someone who never felt like they really fit in anywhere. The Great Uniter was a woman who wanted to show everyone that she wasn't weak, that she wasn't vulnerable.

"Her intentions were to help her kingdom and rid it of the seemingly corrupt, weak government that had just fallen. But she got swept up in her quest for power and unity…and during that time, she distanced herself from those around her. She didn't want to get caught up in anything emotional. She did that because she had loved before and she lost that person, and from then on she always viewed love as a weakness. And the Great Uniter couldn't be weak.

"Kuvira, you didn't want to fall for someone again. You didn't want to get attached to someone. From the time you were eight, you were always fighting to appear strong to those around you. You didn't want to face the fact that your parents abandoned you, and you didn't want to remember how you lost Kaya. You wanted to get away from everything…"

"Can you blame me? I lost everything that mattered to me," Kuvira whispered, her eyes clouding over with tears, and Korra could see the internal struggle Kuvira was going through: whether to let those tears fall or not.

"No…it's normal for people to want to escape the things from their past. But what I'm saying is that you _can't_ escape them. No matter how hard you try, those things will always be with you. The Great Uniter…will always be with you," Korra said, her voice still soft. She went to pull away just slightly, but Kuvira moved her hands and gripped Korra's arm tightly, holding the Avatar against her. She didn't want to let go of Korra.

"Kuvira, when I say I love you, I mean that I love every part of you. Every flaw. Every weakness. Every scar. Every tear. I love the girl who was vulnerable, who was abandoned at a young age. I love the girl who went through heartbreak too early. I love the girl who wanted everyone to know that she _wasn't_ vulnerable…that instead she was strong. I-I love the Great Uniter…I love _you_ , Kuvira…and maybe someday…you'll learn to love every part of yourself too…"

* * *

 

"Hey…" Korra said softly, giving Kuvira a small smile. "Are you okay?"

Kuvira had been out in Republic City earlier helping Asami rebuild a few things: some apartment buildings and a couple sections of the railroad. Everything was going smoothly. Asami and Kuvira had been getting along a lot better in the last couple months, and Asami wanted the metal bender to accompany her along her various rebuilding projects.

Republic City only had a few sections that needed to be rebuilt now, and Kuvira was glad to see most citizens were able to get back to their normal lives.

However, there were still those people every now and then that couldn't accept the fact that Kuvira wasn't going to spend the rest of her life in prison. They wanted justice, and if that meant taking things into their own hands, then they would.

"People tried to kill me today…" Kuvira got out. She was standing at one of the counters in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

"Wait, are you serious? Why didn't I know about this sooner?" Korra went over to Kuvira and took the glass out of her hands. She set it down on the counter and looked back to Kuvira, her deep blue eyes searching Kuvira's green ones for anything that might suggest the metal bender was hurt or had hurt someone herself.

She instantly saw the guilt in Kuvira's eyes.

"What happened?" Korra asked softly, trying to stay calm as well.

"They…They came out of an alley as I was walking back from one of the construction sites Asami has had me working at the last few days. There were four of them and…all fire benders," Kuvira answered.

"Did they hurt you?"

Kuvira just lifted the sleeve of her shirt, showing Korra the ugly burn mark on her upper arm that extended to her shoulder.

"Kuvira…this needs to be healed," Korra said immediately, worry flashing across her eyes. "Let me - ,"

"I nearly killed one of them," Kuvira interrupted, keeping her eyes focused on the wall in front of her.

"Wait…you…no, Kuvira. You said that - ,"

"They were attacking me Korra… Once one of them went down I knew they didn't stand a chance against me," she continued.

"But…what did you do to them? What happened?"

"I…I just knocked them unconscious but…one of them I..." Kuvira trailed off, the guilt returning to her eyes as she glanced down at her hands, the palm of her right hand caked in dried blood that wasn't hers. "I stabbed him. He…He pounced on me and…I just reacted. I-I didn't know what I was doing until I felt the blood…" Kuvira's voice cracked slightly at the end, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Kuvira…hey, hey…look at me…" Korra said softly, taking Kuvira's face in her hands and tilting the metal bender's eyes so they met her own. "Don't fault yourself…you were protecting your life, Kuvira. Those guys attacked you first. They should have known what they were getting into. Please don't beat yourself up for this…"

"I just…things like this get around, Korra." Kuvira looked down to her girlfriend of now nearly two years, her eyes solemn and clouded with tears. "People still don't think I've changed. This…This only confirms for them that I am still a ruthless murderer."

"No. Don't say that about yourself. You're not a murderer Kuvira… You were defending yourself. Please trust me. I hate seeing you cause yourself pain like this," Korra whispered, wiping away a stray tear that had rolled down Kuvira's cheek.

Kuvira clenched her jaw at Korra's words, and she pushed Korra away, leaving the Avatar with a hurt expression on her face.

"Yes I am," Kuvira said shortly. "I am a murderer. Don't you remember how many lives I took trying to unite the Earth Kingdom? I didn't hesitate to kill someone if they stood in my way."

Korra persisted even though she knew Kuvira was getting angry. She needed Kuvira to believe her. "You aren't like that anymore. You're helping people now, Kuvira. If people hear about this then they'll know you were acting in self-defense."

"But they'll see what I did!" Kuvira snapped, turning back around and glaring at Korra. "They'll see how I hurt them! They'll know that I almost killed one of them!"

"But it wasn't intentional!" Korra exclaimed, her own voice rising just slightly. "Why are you so fucking difficult?! You constantly complain about how you're such a horrible person and how no one can love you! Get the fuck over yourself Kuvira!"

"I complain?" Kuvira grabbed Korra's shoulders and slammed her back against the wall, her voice seething with rage. "Why don't you put yourself in my place for a moment…how does that sound? How about you try living with the weight of thousands of deaths and injuries, abandonment and trust issues, and a constant broken heart!

"You ask me to talk to you Korra! You ask me to tell you what's on my mind, and I do! I'm fucking honest with you, and you listen to me! And now you just throw all that back in my face and tell me that I'm fucking complaining?!"

"Yeah…I am…because once I tell you to get help, your huge fucking ego comes in and whines about how you don't want people to think you're weak. Well guess what Kuvira…you are fucking weak! You're a coward because you can't admit to yourself that this is something you can't overcome on your own! You've been - ,"

"Stop…" Kuvira growled, her eyes narrowed as her grip loosened slightly on Korra's shoulders.

"No…I'm telling you the truth now Kuvira. You run from your problems, and you're too afraid to face them. You think that if you tell yourself that you're okay, eventually you can convince yourself that it's true. But it will never be true, Kuvira! You'll always be broken! You'll always be - ,"

Korra's words were interrupted again, this time by the loud slap on skin on skin contact.

"I said…stop…" Kuvira growled out again, her palm leaving a stinging red mark on Korra's cheek.

"Kuvira…" Korra looked back at Kuvira, not wanting to believe that she had just hit her. They had made it so far. Korra didn't want to start over now.

Kuvira's expression remained neutral, almost passive in a way. Korra knew the metal bender wasn't herself right now. She had gone too far again. _Always running my fucking mouth._ Korra mentally berated herself, knowing that if she had just stayed calm, she could have brought Kuvira down from her anger too.

Kuvira didn't say anything. She couldn't. Sure, her expression was neutral, but in her mind she was breaking down completely. She tried to convince herself that this wasn't true, that this didn't just happen. But she wasn't running from this problem.

Korra acted first, as Kuvira finally let the tears fall freely from her eyes. Korra had never stayed long enough to see Kuvira break down after the first few times this had happened. But now she saw the emotional torment it caused Kuvira as well. Korra wasn't the only one hurting here…

Korra instantly took Kuvira into her arms, wrapping the metal bender in a tight embrace. Kuvira didn't respond yet; Korra didn't expect her to.

They stayed like that for a good five minutes. Kuvira cried softly into Korra's shoulder, and Korra just continued to hold the metal bender, silently letting Kuvira know she wasn't going to leave.

Maybe that's why they had never really worked things out with this. Maybe it was because Korra kept leaving Kuvira after it happened. Maybe what Korra should have done instead was stay with Kuvira. Spirits knew that all Kuvira ever wanted was someone who would stay with her no matter what.

After another couple minutes of silence, Kuvira mustered enough courage to rest her arms loosely around Korra's waist, pulling the Avatar closer against her.

"I'm sorry…" Kuvira whispered, her voice cracked and raspy from crying.

"I know," Korra answered, turning and pressing a soft kiss to Kuvira's cheek. "And I'm sorry too…"

Kuvira tightened her arms around Korra, her hands clutching to the fabric of Korra's shirt, and she silently wished she could just stay like this forever.

"Will you ever forgive me?" Kuvira asked.

She was preparing for the worst. She knew what she had done to Korra was, in fact, unforgivable, and they both knew more incidents like this were inevitable in the future.

But Kuvira clung to the last string of hope she had. She didn't want Korra to leave her. She couldn't lose the woman who had given her forgiveness when she needed it. She couldn't lose the woman who had saved her life in more ways than just one.

Korra pulled back so she could look Kuvira in the eyes, darkened sapphire meeting emerald green. She leaned forward, lightly pressing their lips together, trying to convey to Kuvira that she would never leave her…never abandon her…

Korra broke the kiss after a few tender moments, keeping her eyes locked with Kuvira's.

"I already have…"

* * *

 

**A/N: Phew…that was an emotional rollercoaster. Again, I wanted to focus more on the emotions involved for Korra and Kuvira instead of the actual abuse aspect of it since I'm sure that was obvious.**

**Anyway…hope this one was satisfying. I just love how Korra and Kuvira's relationship has so much potential beyond Book 4. It's so amazing to be able to write them together and the possibilities that could come from their relationship ^_^**

**The next short will be a Kuvirasami one :P**

**Keep leaving prompts/AUs you'd like to see for either Korvira or Kuvirasami!**

**Happy reading!**

**\- A**


	8. A Heart Full Of Love

**A/N: Hey guys! Just letting you know…this is a Kuvirasami short. I hope this still keeps you interested. I figured that I should try and drag you onto the Kuvirasami ship as well!**

**I think Kuvirasami works easier in an AU setting, but I will certainly try these two in a canon LoK setting as well!**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

Title: A Heart Full Of Love

Pairings: Kuvirasami, Korvira and Korrasami friendship

Universe: Modern College AU

Rating: T+ for sexual references, sexual implications and scenarios, and some language.

Point of view: Third person omniscient. There is also _a ton_ of texting in this one; you'll know when the characters are texting though :P

Summary: Korra thinks Kuvira is too cooped up in her studies. Korra wants Kuvira to meet new people, especially since their junior year of college is almost over. Korra wants Kuvira to meet a girl and become good friends with this girl…specifically become girlfriends. Korra sets Kuvira up with her friend Asami, and it actually turns out extremely well. Korra may or may not have gotten Kuvira laid. And Korra may or may not have been scarred for life.

Warnings: mushy, fluffy Kuvirasami, also cute Korvira interactions

* * *

_Korra: can u stop study for one second like pls_

_Kuvira: really…I'm literally right across the room. And damn it, you know how much I hate it when you use terrible grammar in your texts._

_Korra: tru but maybe it will convince u to stop study_

_Kuvira: it's really not…_

_Korra: actually it is_

_Kuvira: why?_

_Korra: bc ur texting me back which means u r not study_

"You're fucking infuriating sometimes," Kuvira mumbles as she sets her phone to the side, shaking her head a little and letting out a small laugh.

"Yeah, but you love me."

"Mhm…keep telling yourself that…"

"Pfft…like I would need to. Come on Kuv…I'm just giving you shit." Korra sets her phone on her nightstand and sits up in her bed looking over to Kuvira. "But I really think you should take a break."

"If I take a break more endangered animals will die."

Korra lets out a snort of a laugh before she throws the blanket off of her and walks over to Kuvira, plucking her roommates thick rimmed glasses from her face and sitting on her desk.

"Come on Kuv…I don't think reading about the intelligence of elephants is going to keep them alive," Korra says back.

"Actually…more knowledge about them…educate others…get more people to fight against illegal poaching. It _can_ save more of them." Kuvira snatches her glasses back from Korra and places them on top of her book.

"But you've been sitting here for like, two hours. We should go out!" Korra throws her arms in the air, making a more dramatic deal of it than necessary and nearly smacking Kuvira in the face in the process.

"No," Kuvira responds shortly.

"Ugh…why are you my best friend? You're no fun," Korra grumbles, playfully swatting at Kuvira's shoulder with the floppy ends of her hoodie sleeves.

"Stahhppp," Kuvira whines out, grabbing Korra's wrists and smirking up at her roommate.

"Ya know, I'm surprised we aren't dating, to be honest," Korra says, keeping her expression neutral.

Kuvira nearly lost her shit at that one.

"That would be too awkward. We know too much about each other," Kuvira replies, scrunching up her face a little at the thought of dating Korra.

It wasn't that she didn't find Korra attractive. Yes, Kuvira knew, Korra was _very_ attractive. But they had known each other since their freshman year of high school. If they started dating…like Kuvira said, it would just be too awkward. They knew every little secret about each other and they trusted each other with their lives. Plus, if they broke up, it would make things strained between them. And both Korra and Kuvira didn't want to lose their friendship because an intimate relationship didn't work out between them.

"Hm…I guess. But it's also a good thing, because I know all your kinks," Korra says back, shooting Kuvira a playful wink.

"And now you have succeeded in making this situation even more awkward than it already was." Kuvira shakes her head and stands from her desk chair, making her way over to her closet to grab a pair of pajama pants.

"Okay, but seriously…and be honest: Did you have any girlfriends in high school?" Korra asks.

"No…I had a few crushes, but nothing serious," Kuvira answers. "Korra, you know this, why are you asking me again?"

"Because I want to hear you say it _again_ …duh," Korra says as if it was the simplest reason in the world. "Have you even slept with anyone yet?"

Kuvira's face turned bright red at that question, and if she wasn't facing her closet still, Korra would have never let her live it down.

"You know I had a one night stand with some random girl…" Kuvira mumbles back, taking a few minutes to compose herself before she grabs a pair of long flannel pajama pants.

"Do you still regret that? Kuv…that was nearly two years ago! We were drunk and acting stupid at that party," Korra says, seeing the pain in Kuvira's eyes once her roommate turned around.

"Still though…not really how I imagined my first time…"

"Yeah…I know, it sucks, but just because you made that mistake doesn't mean you'll keep making it. You always think you'll blow at relationships because you're a typical nerd, but you're super sweet, and you're athletic and smart and confident and sexy as fuck - ,"

" _Thanks_ ," Kuvira says forcefully and sarcastically, shooting Korra a playful glare before smirking a little.

"Hey…I'm just being honest! But seriously…so many girls would go for you if you actually went out and met someone!" Korra gives Kuvira a light nudge in her stomach, and Kuvira swats Korra away, laughing softly.

"I'm sorry I've been swamped with tests and assignments lately, but you know how important this is to me," Kuvira says back, her voice softer as she sits on the edge of her bed.

"I know, I know…but it won't hurt you to come out with me every so often. I'm not even talking about parties; I'm talking about going to the movies or the mall or out to lunch. You can't stay in this room all the time."

"I go out when I have classes."

Korra rolls her eyes. "Shut up. That doesn't count. We could hang out with each other at bars and who knows? Maybe you'll meet a hot girl," she says with a wink.

"I'm not cut out for relationships," Kuvira says back simply.

"Of course you are! You have everything a girl would want!" Korra falls silent for a few moments, tapping her chin in thought.

Suddenly, an idea pops into her head, and before Kuvira knows it, Korra is next to her on the bed, an arm wrapped around her shoulders and a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Oh god…" Kuvira breathes out, hiding her face in her hands.

"I know the perfect girl for you, and I'm gonna set you up with her."

* * *

"Just send her a text," Korra says, leaning over Asami's shoulder, a small grin on her face as she looks expectantly at her friend.

"First, tell me why I should," Asami returns, setting her phone in her lap. "You literally just came up to me today, gave me this random girl's number, told me to date her, and then walked away."

"Okay fine…" Korra groans out, falling overdramatically back onto Asami's bed before quickly sitting up. "One: She's super insanely hot. Like, she's really athletic. Plays ice hockey and lacrosse so she has an amazing body. Two: She's really smart. She's a biology major…studying animal behavior. And three: She's super nice. I mean, she's kinda awkward, but it's sort of endearing in a way. She thinks she'd be horrible at a relationship but _I_ think she'd make the perfect girlfriend."

Asami sits in silence for a few moments, looking down at her phone screen. A new message strain was pulled up and she had entered the number with the corresponding name _'Kuvira'_ as Korra had instructed her to do. Sometimes Asami wondered why she ever listened to Korra in the first place. This could just end up badly.

But finally, Asami shrugs and casts a small glance over to Korra.

"Okay," she says. "I'll text her, but there's no guarantee we're going to date."

"Pfft…of course you will," Korra replies with a dismissive wave of her hand as if that subject really wasn't up for debate, because in Korra's mind she was already planning Asami and Kuvira's wedding.

Asami just rolls her eyes in return before she types a quick text.

_Asami: hi…um, Korra told me to text you. I'm Asami._

Asami nearly cringes at how dorky the text read back. _Good first impression,_ she thinks sarcastically. But within a few moments, she receives a message back.

_Kuvira: hi. Yeah…Korra mentioned something about giving my number to one of her friends._

_Asami: yep. Sorry, this seems kind of awkward._

_Kuvira: that's because it is awkward. But…it's Korra so…can't really tell that girl anything._

Asami wants to laugh at the text, but she remembers Korra is sitting right behind her so she lets out an awkward snort-slash-choking kind of sound.

"Are you okay?" Korra asks, now lying on Asami's bed.

"What? Oh, yeah…I'm good."

"Did she text you back?"

"Yeah…we both agree that this is awkward," Asami answers.

"Oh, that's good. Get used to it. Kuvira is the definition of awkward."

"Meh…she seems nice."

"Told you."

_Asami: why did she say she was going to give your number to me?_

_Kuvira: she told me she was going to get me a girlfriend because I don't go out enough._

_Asami: too much work to do?_

_Kuvira: actually yes. The only times I really go out are for my team practices or if Korra drags me to lunch somewhere._

_Asami: ah, I see. Well, if you're up for it, maybe I can get you to come out tomorrow and meet me for lunch without having to drag you there?_

"Fuck…" Asami mutters.

"What? What happened?" Korra asks, and she jumps up from her current position and goes to look over Asami's shoulder, to which the other girl responds by playfully swatting Korra away.

"Nothing…I just asked Kuvira out to lunch tomorrow…"

"Wow, look at you, already going for it," Korra comments with a small smirk.

"Shut up! I just want to meet her and, ya know, maybe get to know her a little bit."

_Kuvira: sure. Where do you want to meet?_

Asami smiles more than she probably should have as she reads the text, and she responds quicker than she probably should have too.

_Asami: the Panera in town. Around 1 maybe if that works for you?_

_Kuvira: yeah, sounds good. See you there ;)_

_Kuvira: shit..._

_Kuvira: *:)_

Now Asami laughs, and Korra quickly grabs her phone right out of her hands, reading through the texts.

"Holy shit…" Korra mumbles. "She's so flustered now and she totally likes you."

"Pssh…you don't know that for sure," Asami says back, though she was silently hoping that was true. She wasn't sure why, but she kind of liked Kuvira already.

"Umm…yeah huh, I totally know she's into you."

"Whatever you say."

"Fine," Korra says, fake pouting a little. "But when you tell me you two are dating I'm just gonna be like 'suck it, I told you so.'"

* * *

_Asami: thanks for lunch :)_

_Kuvira: no problem. It was great to finally meet you aha._

_Asami: same. But…I am never giving Korra credit for any of this._

_Kuvira: me either. She's basically fangirling about us already._

_Asami: I know -_- we need to keep this a secret ;P_

_Kuvira: oh yeah? And what exactly are we keeping from her?_

_Shit, shit, shit…what were you thinking!_ Asami mentally screams at herself. _No, of course you aren't dating yet! Damn it!_

_Asami: shit…_

_Kuvira: if you were trying to imply that we're dating already then maybe we should keep it from Korra ;)_

Asami blushes at that text. And she isn't sure if she should feel relieved or nervous right now.

_Asami: are you saying…_

_Kuvira: that I'd like to go out on a date with you?_

_Asami: yeah…would you?_

_Kuvira: yes._

_Asami: wow…that's…awesome actually :) wanna go out this weekend? We could go for dinner._

_Kuvira: sounds great :P_

Asami was blushing even more now. She knew it was probably way too early for her to have feelings for Kuvira, but she knew she was already in pretty deep with this girl. _I mean…it's not like you've only talked to her once and that you know nothing about her…_

Asami didn't care though. And while she would never say it to Korra's face, she was actually thankful her best friend had introduced her to Kuvira. She had come out of a pretty rough relationship only a few months ago, and she wanted to forget that time in her life. She knew Kuvira was her chance at letting go of the past. She wanted to be able to trust someone intimately again and not be taken advantage of. Kuvira didn't seem like the kind of person who did something like that.

And if Asami was bold enough to admit it to herself, she would say she might be falling for Kuvira already.

* * *

"Well…I guess I should thank you for agreeing to go out with me," Asami says as she walks out of the Melting Pot. She couldn't believe Kuvira chose to take her there considering it was very expensive and…pretty fancy for only a first date. It was in the heart of the town and a walking distance from campus, so Asami liked the fact that she was able to spend more time with Kuvira walking to the restaurant instead of a short drive there. But, she also enjoyed that they were able to have a nice long dinner with each other and they really got to know a lot more about one another.

"Agreeing? Don't be silly. I wanted to go out with you," Kuvira replies, giving Asami a small, lopsided grin that made Asami blush for no apparent reason.

"Well then…thanks for paying. You didn't have to."

"I wanted to do that too," Kuvira says, this time letting a soft laugh pass her lips. "Asami, I haven't been on a date in god knows how long. Also, I haven't actually liked someone beyond a friendship in a while either. I…figured I couldn't let this chance slip away…"

Asami's face was practically on fire right now. Not from embarrassment, but from the fact that Kuvira was making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, which was a feeling she hadn't known for a long time. She didn't know how to react either. Kuvira was so charming…and sweet, and awkward, and kind, and… _perfect,_ Asami thought.

"Well um…I-I, uh, I've wanted to move on from my ex for a while now but…I've never really found anyone I thought I could trust…until now," Asami says back, her voice quiet and shy as she glances away from Kuvira.

"I'm glad you trust me," Kuvira responds. "There aren't many people who do…"

"Why not? You're an amazing person…"

Kuvira shrugs. "Not sure…maybe because I'm pretty quiet most of the time and not too social. I don't know. I guess that gives off negative vibes to other people. But…I have a few close friends and honestly, they're all I need."

"Well now you have me too," Asami says with a soft smile, her emerald green eyes lighting up a little as they meet Kuvira's green orbs, a slightly lighter shade than her own.

They stop as they reach the entrance of Asami's dorm building, the sun just starting to dip below the horizon now. Kuvira wants to say something, do something, maybe even kiss Asami. But she knew that was going too fast. It was only their first date after all.

"Uh…I had a really nice time tonight," Kuvira manages to get out, a warm smile pulling at her lips that sent butterflies to Asami's stomach.

"Me too. We should go out again soon," Asami says back, and before she knows what she's doing, she steps towards Kuvira and places a soft kiss to her cheek, lingering for slightly longer than she probably should have.

When Asami pulls away, there's a deep blush on Kuvira's cheeks.

But Kuvira composes herself pretty quickly, and she gives Asami a soft smile as she watches the other girl blush lightly as well.

"Text me when you want to go on another date," Kuvira says softly, shooting another smile to Asami before turns and walks away, leaving Asami standing in front of her dorm, her cheeks still lit up as she tries to stop the feelings from bombarding her.

* * *

_Asami: hey_

Kuvira woke with a slight start when she felt her phone vibrate on her chest. Right…she had fallen asleep texting Asami. For the first time in a while, Kuvira had managed to get into bed before midnight, and now it was nearly three in the morning.

Kuvira sighs out softly and unlocks her phone. If anyone else had texted her at this hour she probably would have been slightly mad. But it was Asami, and Kuvira knew she couldn't be mad at her even if she tried.

_Kuvira: not to sound rude but…why are you texting me now? Like…why are you still up?_

_Asami: idk…just wanted to talk to you I guess…can't sleep._

_Kuvira: why?_

_Asami: stuff…_

_Kuvira: should I ask?_

Asami smiles a little at her screen. She didn't want to move too much since she knew her roommate was a light sleeper. Luckily though, Opal didn't wake up when Asami jumped awake from yet another bad dream.

Asami knew it was probably ridiculous to text Kuvira about it. After all, they weren't even "together" yet, and she doubted Kuvira would actually care about her problems.

_Asami: if you want to be up for a while longer…then you probably shouldn't._

_Kuvira: if something is wrong I'll stay up as long as you need me to._

Asami feels her heart beat a little faster as she reads the text. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this way for Kuvira so quickly. But she couldn't help it. Just through that one text, Asami knew that Kuvira cared about her.

Asami lets out a small sigh, debating whether or not to tell Kuvira the real reason she was still up. After a few more moments of pondering her decision, Asami finally gives in and sends the text.

_Asami: I had a bad break up with my boyfriend a couple months ago. And by bad I mean…it wasn't pretty. I…still think about it and…it scares me. Actually…he scares me…_

Kuvira narrows her eyes a little once she sees the text.

_Kuvira: why would you be afraid of him?_

_Asami: he wasn't necessarily the best guy out there…I don't even know why I dated him. It only lasted a few weeks, but I found out that he wasn't as nice as he acted around others. He got mad easily and at the dumbest things. He started blaming me for almost everything when we were together and…he took that anger out on me…_

_Kuvira: did he hit you?_

_Well…that's one way to be straightforward about it,_ Asami thinks, worrying at her lower lip.

Maybe that's why she started falling for Kuvira so quickly. When she was with Iroh, he would always act like the perfect guy when they were in public or even around their friends. But when they were alone…he treated her like shit. He never valued her opinion and he never really cared about what she was doing. In fact, he just didn't care about _her._ But now, Asami sees that Kuvira clearly cares about her, and it gives Asami one of the greatest feelings in the world to know that.

_Asami: yes…a few occasions…_

_Kuvira: who is he? I'll go smack some sense into him._

Asami wants to laugh at the text, but something about it also brings tears to her eyes. And before she knows it, she's wiping stray tears off her cheeks and smiling uncontrollably at her phone.

_Asami: unfortunately…I don't think that's possible._

_Kuvira: why did he hit you? How could he do something like that to you? There's no reason to hurt someone you're supposed to care about like that._

_Asami: he never really cared about me…never valued me for who I was. I'm pretty sure he just asked me out because my dad is basically famous and for my looks…_

_Kuvira: asshole_

_Asami: totally…_

A few moments pass, Asami just sitting in her bed in silence. Eventually though, she sends another text to Kuvira.

_Asami: so why did you want to go out with me?_

A few more moments pass before Asami decides to clarify.

_Asami: like…why do you want to be with me?_

Asami instantly regrets sending the texts, and she tilts her head back and lets out a soft groan, mentally berating herself. She thinks the texts sounded too pushy, too desperate to know if Kuvira truly likes her back. _She doesn't…she's probably just in this for your looks and money too…just to get in my bed maybe…she_ is _extremely attractive, and I know a lot of girls here have had crushes on her. She's probably had her fair share of one night stands. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up being one more of them…_

Her thoughts are cut short when she feels her phone vibrate in her hand, and she hesitantly unlocks her phone, somewhat dreading Kuvira's response. After all, her message to Kuvira stayed on 'Read' for a few minutes before Kuvira actually started typing.

_Kuvira: well…to start off, you're absolutely beautiful…stunning really. I've seen a lot of attractive girls Asami, but none I could call beautiful or breathtaking and actually mean it. But I can do that with you. I guess I wanted to go out with you because there was something about you that just drew me to you. Korra had told me a little about you, but when we started talking more, I saw that you were a million times more amazing than Korra had described._

Kuvira was still typing, and Asami decides to let the other girl finish before she gives any response.

_Kuvira: you're an amazing person Asami :) I mean it…you're intelligent, beautiful, funny, caring…and I can trust you. I don't feel that way about a lot of people Asami. I'll be honest with you – I always will… - but I have a lot of trust issues. I'd…rather not talk about it now, but for me to trust you so easily…it shocked me a little. And it even scared me. I've always hid from my feelings…tried to push them away, because that's all I knew how to do growing up. But being with you…it changed that._

Asami takes a few deep breaths, her smile remaining on her face as she reads through Kuvira's texts a few times over, needing to convince herself that the words were real.

_Asami: are you trying to make me fall in love with you?_

The text was sent before Asami had a chance to really process what she had typed. _Shit…no, no, no…_ Asami thinks, sighing in slight defeat. _That's what got you into that whole mess with Iroh. You told him you liked him too early and he took advantage of your feelings._

_Kuvira: if that happens then that's only a plus ;)_

_Kuvira: I want to be with you for who you are Asami. I definitely like you already, and I'm sure that when I spend more time with you, I'll start to have stronger feelings too. You're an amazing person. I know I'd be lucky to call you my girlfriend._

Kuvira takes a couple glances over to Korra, making sure her roommate hadn't woken up at any point. It's almost four in the morning now, but Kuvira doesn't mind.

She will never admit to herself, but Kuvira knows she has stronger feelings for Asami already. She knows that she might be falling for this girl already. She thinks it's too soon, but in the end she doesn't care. She's never had feelings for someone like this before, and in a way, Kuvira likes it. She enjoys all the emotions going through her whenever she's with Asami or just talking to her. It makes Kuvira feel as if she still has a heart. It makes her feel like she's still able to love someone.

_Asami: wanna hang out tomorrow night in my room? My roommate is gone for a couple days and…I don't know…I just really want to spend more time with you. Sorry if that sounds too clingy…_

_Kuvira: I wouldn't mind you clinging to me in all honesty ;P what time should I come over?_

_Asami: hm…maybe around eight? We can eat dinner in and watch a movie?_

_Kuvira: sounds like a plan._

_Asami: awesome…now get some sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up._

_Kuvira: don't feel bad. I don't get a lot of sleep anyway. You're the one who should get some sleep…_

_Asami: …can I ask you one more question?_

Kuvira feels her phone vibrate just as she's turning over in her bed, preparing to at least sleep for another few hours. She wants to go to sleep, but she picks up her phone anyway and reads Asami's text.

_Kuvira: of course_

_Asami: do you care about me?_

_Kuvira: yes. Immensely._

Asami doesn't need to text back. Those words were all she needed to see. She needed to know that if she's going to have a relationship with Kuvira…she would be cared about and loved. She didn't think she could take any more lies.

* * *

"So…are you and Asami official yet?" Korra asks, giving Kuvira a playful nudge as they walk to the dining hall for lunch.

"What exactly do you mean by 'official'?" Kuvira returns, shooting Korra one of her signature smirks that always drove the short-haired girl insane.

"Oh please, you know what I mean." Korra rolls her eyes as they set their books and backpacks down at a table in their favorite corner of the dining hall. It was great; no one bothered them and they could talk freely without worrying about people overhearing their conversations.

"We've only gone on one date, Korra. But we are hanging out tonight," Kuvira answers, grabbing a plate and having one of the chefs put a piece of pizza on it.

"Ooohhh…so I'm assuming you're gonna…do some mattress aerobics hmm?" Korra says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at Kuvira.

"What?!" Kuvira laughs as she uses her free hand to cover her eyes for a moment. "What are you even talking about. I-I've never heard someone say that since like, nineteen thirty-two."

"You weren't even alive then. And please, I didn't want to outright say that you will definitely be screwing Asami tonight."

"I was making a point," Kuvira says back, grabbing a bottle of water before she walks back to her table with Korra.

"Yeah, just like you'll be making love to Asami tonight," Korra comments casually, sitting down in front of Kuvira.

"We are not having sex tonight Korra. We've literally known each other for a week…" Kuvira groans out, hiding her face in her hands again. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not letting you off on this until I get confirmation tonight about whether you did or did not fuck her," Korra says, folding her arms over her chest, a smug grin on her face.

"You're ridiculous. We aren't fucking anytime soon."

"Mhmm…sure. I'll bet it takes only two weeks before you two are going at it like bunnies."

* * *

Kuvira smiles a little as she nears Asami's room. She had picked up a pizza for them to share along with a couple bottles of Coca Cola. She didn't know if this was considered a date, but it did feel like one…in a weirdly romantic way. Kuvira was just happy she was going to spend more time with Asami.

A few moments after she knocks on the door, Asami opens it and greets Kuvira with a bright smile.

"Hey!" she says, stepping aside to let Kuvira in her room.

"Hey. I brought pizza," Kuvira says back even though it was obvious. Asami had smelled the pizza basically through the door.

"Awesome. You can just set it on my desk. Here, let me clear some stuff away." Asami moves a few of her books and notebooks to make space for the pizza box and sodas.

"Engineering?" Kuvira asks, raising an eyebrow at Asami when her vision catches the many pieces of paper sprawled across Asami's desk with sketches of mechanical parts and textbooks of just about every engineering course Kuvira could think of stacked on the corner of her desk.

"Yeah…mostly architectural and electrical…but I'm also looking into environmental engineering as well," Asami answers.

"Seems like a lot…" Kuvira mumbles, placing a piece of pizza on her own plate as well as one on Asami's plate.

"Ugh…it is. Some nights I don't get any sleep. And honestly…it's not because I'm cramming for a test or whatever. Most of the time I just take more notes or learn more about a certain topic."

"Really? What's your favorite thing to study?" Kuvira asks, handing Asami her plate. She takes a seat on the edge of Asami's bed, and Asami sits down right across from her in the desk chair.

"Honestly, I really love the architectural aspect of it," Asami answers, smiling a little as she looks over to her many drawings on her desk. "It's so interesting to see how I can design new buildings, cars…anything really. The possibilities are endless. Of course, I'm combining those studies with electrical and some mechanical engineering so that I'll actually be able to put my designs to work and make them myself."

"Wow…that's awesome. I was never into engineering and that sciency stuff," Kuvira says with a soft laugh. "Always too difficult for me…"

"Yeah, well it does involve a ton of math. Sometimes I hate it but…gotta do what I gotta do." Asami shrugs a little and takes a bite of her pizza. "So what _are_ you into? Korra mentioned something about animals?"

"Oh…yeah! Animal behavior is what I'm focusing on. I really love it."

"When did you take an interest in animals so much?"

"Hm…honestly, when I was in my sophomore year of high school. My class had to do an endangered species project. We each chose our own animals to research, and I chose elephants. When I started to gain more knowledge about the species and other animals as well…I just knew I wanted to work with animals and study them," Kuvira says, her voice growing quieter as she went on, shy in a way in front of Asami for some odd reason.

"That's cool. So…have you ever thought about, like, going to Africa or something?" Asami smiles a little and leans forward. "Because that would be cool…and I know you'd totally take me with you."

"Ah yes…nothing like me being a constant nerd about how much I love animals," Kuvira sighs out softly, a small laugh falling from her lips. "But I would take you with me. Really…animals are much better than people."

"Seriously? Then how have you dealt with Korra all these years?" Asami laughs softly, leaning back in her chair a little bit.

"Korra is like the only person I can tolerate. I have a few close friends, and I'd like to keep it that way. And now I have you. That's all I need."

"And elephants."

"Yes. And elephants."

* * *

Kuvira wakes up later the next morning, more surprised than anything that she had slept in for once. Then she remembers that she doesn't have a class today because, well…it's Saturday. And _then_ she realizes that she's not in her room. And this isn't her bed.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up. I thought you didn't sleep much." Asami's voice comes from across the room, and Kuvira sits up in the bed, finding her girlfriend (could she call her that now?) sitting at her desk, a cup of coffee in one hand and a pencil in the other.

"I don't…I guess I must have been comfortable," Kuvira says back, her voice lower and more raspy from sleep. She rubs her eyes, trying to wake herself up a little more.

"You were extremely comfortable." Asami blushes a little as she sets her pencil down, smiling to Kuvira.

A lopsided smile comes to Kuvira's face once she remembers the previous night. It was just sweet, loving in a way if Kuvira could admit it. While she had been tempted to kiss Asami more than once last night, she never went through with her feelings. Besides, she rather enjoyed just cuddling with Asami.

"I would never have you pegged as someone who is an intense cuddle person," Asami continues, moving so that now she was sitting on the edge of her bed, still smiling softly back to Kuvira.

Kuvira blushes, looking away from Asami for a moment. "I-I uh…well…"

"Don't explain yourself, Kuvira…it was crazy cute."

"Bleh…I'm not supposed to be cute," Kuvira mumbles.

"Oh really? Are you just supposed to be hot, sexy, and gorgeous?" Asami returns, raising an eyebrow at Kuvira.

"Exactly…"

Asami lets a soft laugh escape her. "Deal with it…you're cute too. Especially now." Asami ruffles Kuvira's already messy hair, and Kuvira playfully swats at Asami's hand, whining out softly as she does so.

"Cruel…"

"Hah. Whatever you say, Kuvira."

* * *

"So…care to explain to me why Kuvira didn't come back to our room last night?" Korra asks, a smirk already on her face as she keeps her eyes on Asami, noticing the light blush that fills her friend's cheeks.

"I thought she told you…we were hanging out," Asami answers, her voice shy and small now.

"Mhmm…sure."

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Umm…because you two are so into each other, Kuvira is sexy as fuck, you're hot as fuck, and you definitely got some action from her last night. How was the grounder pounder anyway?"

Asami's face lights up at Korra's comments, and she gives the shorter girl a shove away from her. "We didn't have sex…" she mumbles as she walks into the library. She goes to a table further away from the other people in the building, knowing Korra was going to try and keep her in this conversation.

"Oh come on! At least give me credit for my new nickname!"

"Grounder pounder is not a good nickname," Asami responds, glaring back at Korra.

"Pssh…sure it is! And I'm not dropping it either!"

Asami rolls her eyes and pulls out one of her textbooks. "You're ridiculous. Kuvira and I aren't having sex anytime soon."

"Uh-huh…keep telling yourself that."

Asami just rolls her eyes again before she feels her phone vibrate in her lap, and she instantly smiles when she sees that the text is from Kuvira.

_Kuvira: wanna go out tonight?_

Asami blushes as she reads the text, and Korra just raises an eyebrow at her friend.

"I swear, if you two are sexting…" she mumbles.

"Korra! Oh my goodness! No, that is not happening!" Asami exclaims, thinking it wasn't possible for her face to get any redder than it already is now.

"Although, on second thought, I feel like _you_ would be the one to send Kuvira unsolicited nudes. And guaranteed she would be in class when she got them."

Asami hides her face in her hands, groaning out in embarrassment. "I can't believe you sometimes," she mumbles into her hands.

Korra just smirks before she turns her attention back to her laptop, giving a noncommittal grunt in return.

_Asami: yes, I'd love to :P_

_Kuvira: awesome. We can see a movie, if that's okay with you?_

_Asami: of course it is. Are we walking to town or driving?_

_Kuvira: I would prefer to walk. I like spending the extra time with you._

_Asami: stahp, you're making me blush even more xP_

_Kuvira: so you were blushing already? Jeez, I didn't know I had that much of an effect on you ;)_

_Asami: oh, shut up, I'm practically head over heels for you already._

_Kuvira: I'm flattered_

_Asami: oh by the way, Korra has a new nickname for you._

_Kuvira: oh god, what is it?_

_Asami: Grounder pounder._

_Kuvira: -_- …I am going to have a serious talk with that girl once she gets back to our room…_

_Asami: I mean, it is kind of embarrassing, but it does suit you ;P_

_Kuvira: so now you're backing her up in her torture of calling me various things?_

_Asami: well…you are studying animal behavior and are really into the environment soooo…'grounder' as in Earth and stuff, and 'pounder' as in, well…we haven't really gotten to that point yet…_

Kuvira was just sitting on her bed, typing up an essay due tomorrow when she receives Asami's last text. Kuvira closes her laptop, lies back on her bed, and lets out a loud groan of pure embarrassment, pretty sure that the rooms next to hers can hear her.

Of course Kuvira knew Asami was extremely attractive. However, she was writing an essay, and she really didn't need her thoughts drifting off to having sex with Asami. In fact, she didn't even think that text warranted such a response, but the images flashing through Kuvira's head were nothing less than explicit, and she almost feels ashamed for thinking about it.

Almost…

* * *

They saw Insurgent. Kuvira was never going to admit it to herself, but she certainly teared up at a couple points in the movie. She loved the series, and seeing the books being brought to life in such an amazing way pleased her immensely. One of Kuvira's pet peeves was when a movie didn't portray a book accurately. But, for the most part, Kuvira thought Insurgent did a pretty good job.

Kuvira is pulled out of her thoughts when she feels a warmth press against her side. She smiles when she sees Asami next to her.

They had taken a detour on their way back to campus as they decided to walk through a small park right next to the university. A small change of scenery was nice.

They walk in silence, the only sound comes from their footsteps on the concrete path as well as the gentle exhale of breath from both girls.

But, after a few more moments of walking next to each other, Kuvira finally takes a risk and brushes her hand against Asami's, keeping her eyes focused in front of her.

Asami blushes at the contact, quickly understanding Kuvira's message, and she's the one to take Kuvira's hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. Asami loves how perfectly their hands fit together, almost as if they were made for each other.

Kuvira smiles down at their hands, a light blush coming to her cheeks now. She never blushed like this before. Probably because she had never actually had a relationship before but…still…Kuvira found herself flustered easily when she was with Asami. She had never felt such happiness whenever she was with anyone else…not even Korra. And that was certainly saying a lot.

Kuvira stops suddenly, driven more by her emotions than anything right now. She turns to Asami. Their eyes meet for a small moment before Kuvira looks away, still blushing as she worries at her lower lip.

"What is it?" Asami asks softly, brushing a few loose strands of hair out of Kuvira's face.

"Um…I-I was just…uh, can I kiss you?" Kuvira eventually blurts out. She's shocked at her sudden loss of words and incoherence of her thoughts. But Asami is here and in front of her and she swears she's so in love with this girl…and she doesn't want to let this moment slip away, even though she knows there will certainly be plenty more of them.

Asami blushes at Kuvira's question, her eyes glancing down to Kuvira's lips, something that doesn't go unnoticed by the other girl.

"I don't think you need to ask," Asami whispers back, giving Kuvira a soft smile.

"I just…was making sure it was okay," Kuvira responds, feeling extremely awkward now, certain she was just digging herself into a deeper hole.

"Well…I am your girlfriend so, I suppose it is okay." There's a hint of playfulness to Asami's voice, and Kuvira lets a small laugh escape her as she looks back at Asami.

"Good point…" Kuvira mumbles.

They stand there for a few moments in silence, just looking into each other's eyes, until Kuvira finally leans forward, closing the distance between them as she presses her lips to Asami's.

It was a soft, gentle kiss, and Asami loves every second of it. Her hands rest comfortably on Kuvira's shoulders, and within a few more moments she feels Kuvira's hands on her waist.

The kiss ends too quickly for Asami, and when Kuvira moves to pull away, Asami finds herself pushing forward, connecting their lips again. She wants to hold onto this feeling. She never shared a kiss so sweet and, well…loving in her entire life. She never felt fireworks – as cliché as it sounds – go off inside her through just a small kiss. And she never felt herself fall in love with someone just from one kiss.

Asami pulls away once she needs to breathe, and when she does, both of them are left breathless, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the kiss even though it really wasn't heated at all.

"I love you…"

The words were out of Asami's mouth before she even knew what she was saying. And she really didn't know what kind of confession she just made until she hears Kuvira's response.

"Don't say things you don't mean." Even though Kuvira's lips are quirked into a dorky grin, Asami still sees the slight sadness in Kuvira's eyes.

"I do mean it though," she whispers, pulling Kuvira against her into a comfortable embrace. "How do I prove that to you?"

"I-I don't know," Kuvira admits. "I'm sure I'll be able to respond to you the same way in my own time though…and I know I'll mean it."

The words hurt, but Asami knew she would never let Kuvira know that. She wants Kuvira…wants a future with her, but she knows it will take more time for Kuvira. And she respects that.

"I don't want to end up hurting you though," Kuvira whispers, pulling back so she can meet Asami's eyes again.

"You won't."

"You don't know that."

Asami shakes her head and gives Kuvira a sad smile, and she pulls Kuvira in for another soft kiss, their lips moving perfectly together.

"Maybe I don't…" Asami whispers back once she pulls away. "But what I do know is that I am falling more in love with you every time I'm with you, and I never want this… _us_ …to end."

* * *

"So…are you planning anything romantic?" Korra asks. Her tone isn't teasing now like it usually is whenever she asks Kuvira about her relationship with Asami. They've been together for almost three months now, and Korra just genuinely wants to know if Kuvira actually has a romantic bone in her body.

"I'm not sure. We actually just might stay in," Kuvira answers.

"Really? No fancy meals or anything?"

Kuvira lets a light chuckle pass her lips as she sits up in her bed. "Nahh…we're perfectly content with staying in bed and cuddling."

"Orrrr doing something else?"

Okay, now it was time for Korra to tease Kuvira.

"Ugh…no, Korra!"

"Oh. My. God. You two haven't had sex yet?!"

"Korra, we've only been together for a few months, of course we haven't had sex!"

"Please Kuvira, some couples can't even wait a few weeks before they're doing the do…"

"Well, we obviously aren't like other couples," Kuvira responds.

"Clearly…maybe that's what you should do though…"

"What?"

"Book a room at a fancy hotel, litter the floor with rose petals, declare you love for her, and spend the whole night making passionate love to each other," Korra answers.

"You can't be serious…"

"Um…did I fucking stutter?"

"Well no, but we aren't having sex tonight."

"Pfft, yeah…whatever you say."

* * *

Kuvira smiles as she turns on her side, cuddling closer to Asami.

They did end up going out to dinner. They had a simple meal at a nice steakhouse in the next town over, but Kuvira was more focused on Asami throughout the dinner than she was on the food. Of course, the steak was amazing, but she enjoyed being with Asami more. She loved the way Asami's bright green eyes would become seemingly electrified whenever she smiled, her lips pulling back to reveal her perfectly white teeth. And the fact that she was the one who put those smiles on Asami's face gave Kuvira one of the greatest feelings in the world.

Kuvira looks up at Asami, a dorky grin tugging at her lips, and her arms tighten around her girlfriend of now three months.

"What?" Asami asks softly.

"Just admiring how beautiful you are," Kuvira whispers, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of Asami's nose.

"Wow…I never knew you could be this mushy."

Kuvira playfully hits Asami's arm, causing the slightly taller girl to laugh. The sound is enough to bring a smile to Kuvira's face. She loves Asami's laugh. It calms her and sends her heart into a fluttering frenzy.

In fact, everything Asami does sends butterflies through Kuvira, makes fireworks go off inside her, makes her knees weak whenever they're close, and causes her heart to skip a beat every time their eyes meet.

And in this moment, Kuvira realizes.

She loves Asami.

Every moment Kuvira had spent with Asami, a constant battle raged on in her mind. That night Asami had confessed the true extent of her feelings was one that always bothered Kuvira. It made her think. It made her appreciate the moments she had with Asami. It made her value Asami even more than she already did.

She knew it would take time. And now, she wonders if three months was enough time.

She knows it is. She knows that she fell hard for Asami, and she knows that Asami fell hard for her too. She wants a future with this girl. This amazing, talented, brilliant, beautiful girl who came into her life and suddenly made her realize why she would never want to be with anyone else.

Kuvira takes a bolder step than she normally would have.

She closes the distance between them, pressing her lips to Asami's with more passion, more intensity, more heat than she had ever done before.

She pulls Asami against her, putting every emotion into this kiss. The love confessions, words of admiration, and the confirmations of Kuvira's feelings that had never quite made it past her lips were here now, in this kiss.

Asami is a bit shocked at first by the sudden intensity coming from Kuvira, but she easily relaxes against Kuvira's lips, knowing she will always welcome the feeling of Kuvira's lips on her own.

Kuvira pulls away after a few more moments, and they're both left breathless. Asami rests her hand on Kuvira's cheek, looking up to her girlfriend, her eyes filled with nothing but love.

A promise is made in those short few seconds of silence. A promise neither of them will ever break. In this moment, Asami knows Kuvira loves her. She doesn't even have to say the words. Just from the soft gleam in those magnificent green eyes, Asami sees the care, the commitment. She knows Kuvira will never let her go. She knows Kuvira will protect her and never break her heart. Because Kuvira's own heart, as broken as it is, is filled with so much love…she's just never had the opportunity to give it to anyone.

But Asami is here now, and she knows she has Kuvira's heart. Kuvira has hers too.

She leans forward again, smiling instantly as her lips meets Kuvira's.

She lets Kuvira push her onto her back. She tugs a little at the hem of Kuvira's shirt, wanting more direct contact with her girlfriend.

Asami knows where this night is going, and she knows that because it's with Kuvira, she will never regret it.

And she kisses her, and kisses her, and kisses her.

* * *

Asami wakes later in the morning, thanking the gods it was Sunday, so she didn't have any class to go to.

It takes her a few moments to come to full realization, but once she feels the arms around her waist, the warm body pressed against her, and even the slight soreness between her legs, a wide smile breaks onto her face.

She glances down to Kuvira and is surprised to see her girlfriend's warm green eyes staring back at her.

"You're awake?" Asami gets out, her voice still slightly raspy from sleep…or lack of it.

"You moved," Kuvira answers, a lopsided grin pulling the corners of her lips.

Asami lies back next to Kuvira, running her fingers through Kuvira's smooth hair. She wishes she could stay like this forever. Being in Kuvira's arms makes her feel safe, calm…it makes her feel home. But alas, she knows life will eventually call to her.

"I love you," Kuvira whispers, and it was so unexpected and quiet Asami didn't even know if Kuvira had actually just muttered those words.

"Wait…you…" Asami struggles to find the right words, happiness completely overtaking her now.

"You heard me. And I mean it, Asami…I love you."

Hearing the words again makes Asami's heart beat faster, and she pulls Kuvira's lips to her own in a soft, loving kiss.

When they break, both of them have goofy smiles plastered on their faces.

"Say it again," Asami whispers back, her body almost shaking with joy. She's in a state of absolute euphoria now. She had never thought she would hear those words come from Kuvira's mouth. But they just did, and Asami doesn't know if she's dreaming.

"I love you…I love you, I love you, I love you," Kuvira says.

And she means it with all her heart.

* * *

"Where the hell were you?!" Korra practically yells the moment Kuvira walks into their room.

Kuvira flinches a little and shies away from Korra. "Jeez…relax. I was with Asami."

"Yeah, for all of yesterday and basically all of today…it's nearly four o'clock already! I was about to come over there and drag you back here myself but then - ,"

Korra stops midsentence and just stares at Kuvira. Her roommate's hair is slightly disheveled, pulled back in a messy braid. Her eyes look tired and that is _definitely not Kuvira's shirt._

"Oh. My. God. Kuviraaaa!" Korra yells, and before Kuvira can react, her roommate is clinging to her, nearly tackling her to the ground.

"Ew, ew, ew! Get off me!" Kuvira whines, trying to push Korra away.

"You finally scored last night! Big time!" Korra exclaims, finally letting go of Kuvira and lightly punching Kuvira on her shoulder.

The blush on Kuvira's cheeks only confirms for Korra what she already knows.

"You look tired…how many rounds did you go with her?" Korra asks casually, sitting on the edge of Kuvira's bed.

"Oh my goodness…no…I have told you a lot of things Korra but I am definitely not telling you _anything_ about my sex life with Asami now," Kuvira answers, taking a seat in her desk's chair, facing Korra.

"Alright, so I'm guessing at least three…"

Kuvira's blush grows even stronger.

"Wait…more?! Wow…you must have a lot of stamina. I wouldn't be - ,"

"Korra!" Kuvira throws her arms in the air in exasperation, glaring down her best friend. "You will not being knowing about what we do behind closed doors for a long time!"

"Pfft…whatever," Korra says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm sure I can get you to break it all to me…"

* * *

Korra was right: She eventually was able to get Kuvira to break down and spill the events of her and Asami's first time with each other. Of course, she didn't make Kuvira share _all_ the details; that would have been too awkward. But she heard enough to know that Kuvira and Asami were undeniably in love with each other…and now that Kuvira and Asami have been together for just over five months now, Korra also knew that they had a great sex life…

The only thing Korra demanded was that they wouldn't 'do the do' in or on any section of her side of her and Kuvira's room.

Korra was currently walking back to her dorm after a long study session in the library. She had met Opal for lunch too, and apparently Opal was well aware of Kuvira and Asami's relationship. She thought they were cute together, and Korra, of course, took all the credit for setting them up with each other.

Korra fumbles around her pocket for a moment for her room key, trying to keep her textbooks, small bag of food, and backpack from falling to the floor.

She manages to accomplish the feat, and she pushes her door open, only to have all her books and food fall to the floor anyway.

It takes her a few moments to process the sight in front of her before she's covering her face with her hands, and in an overdramatic attempt to shield herself even more she drops to the floor and rolls onto her stomach.

Asami jumps in surprise, letting out a squeal of embarrassment when her eyes locked with Korra's for only a split second.

"Oh my goodness!" Korra yells, her voice muffled by the floor. "Are you two just _always_ screwing each other now?!"

Kuvira smirks a little, pulling her face back from between Asami's legs, licking her lips a little as she looks to Korra still faceplanting on the floor.

"Hey…at least we aren't on your side of the room," Kuvira answers, her voice calm as she stands in front of Asami, letting her girlfriend pull up her pants.

"Can I get up now?" Korra asks, her voice cracked and defeated.

"Yeah…"

Korra stands up and instantly jabs a finger into Kuvira's chest. " _You_ , young lady, need to calm yourself down. The next time I come in here you two will probably be completely in the nude and fucking on my bed!"

Kuvira raises her arms in mock defeat. "I would never do such a thing," she says back. "I wasn't expecting you to be back so early, in my defense…"

Korra groans out overdramatically, a small moment of silence settling over the trio until Korra just bursts into laughter.

"What? What did I do?" Kuvira asks, her face scrunching into a confused expression.

"I…I just walked in…on you…eating…Asami out…" Korra manages to get out in between her deep breaths for air, trying to control her hysterical laughter.

Kuvira feels Asami press into her back, her girlfriend nuzzling into her shoulder.

"Well…I think we can all agree that this has been the most embarrassing moment of our entire lives," Kuvira says with a confirmative nod of her head.

"Hey…at least that will be one area of your relationship that will never be lacking in excitement."

Kuvira just rolls her eyes and pushes Korra onto the floor again.

* * *

**A/N: well…hoped you liked it! Can never go wrong with some adorkable Kuvirasami!**

**Leave requests for any head canon/prompt/AU you'd like to see for Korvira or Kuvirasami!**

**I think the next one I'll do is a canon universe – alternate plot in which Kuvira was a member of Team Avatar and ended up being the one helping Korra recover after her fight with Zaheer. So basically, I'll be replacing Asami's role with Kuvira.**

**As always, happy reading!**

**\- A**


	9. Alone Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah...Kuvira will be taking Asami's place in Team Avatar in this short, hence the 'canon divergence' thing. It wasn't hard to switch things around. I just placed Asami as an "Equalist" back in Book 1 and moved on xD Kuvira has a similar back story, but obviously things have been changed just for the sake of the plot of this short.
> 
> Also note that I have Kuvira being three years older than Korra in this. So while Korra would be about 19 here, Kuvira would be 22.
> 
> This one is mostly angst, emotions, fluff, and Korvira bbys being there for each other.
> 
> Happy reading!

**Title:** Alone Together

**Pairings:** Korvira, Kuvirasami (one-sided)

**Universe:** AU/Canon divergence – Basically replacing Asami's place in Team Avatar with Kuvira

**Rating:** T+ for language and mentions of a traumatic experience

**Summary:** After her battle with Zaheer, Korra is left unable to walk and go into the Avatar State. Haunted by her near death experience, she wants to take some time to recover by herself. She doesn't want anyone helping her. She wants to do this on her own and become strong again. However, unspoken thoughts and feelings may make Korra change her mind. And maybe – just maybe – she needs someone's help...

**Point of view:** Third person omniscient

**Trigger warning(s):** Mentions of a traumatic experience

* * *

 

She was losing control. There was nothing she could do to stop it.

She was the Avatar. This wasn't supposed to happen to her. She was stronger than anyone in the world. No one could defeat her.

Until now.

He had found a way. With the poison.

She had no idea how he managed to beat her. She would never give up easily though.

She kept fighting. She gave everything she had. She did knock him to the ground a few times. But he was stronger. Whatever she did he would only give back ten times worse.

She was too weak with the metal poison coursing through her body. She was stuck in the Avatar State, and it drained her endurance. She was exhausted.

And then suddenly she couldn't breathe.

It was horrifying. She was completely defenseless. She could see him in front of her, smirking as he literally drew out her last breaths. He was enjoying it way too much. She didn't even know why he wanted to kill her. What had she ever done to him?

But then she could breathe again. It was all so sudden. She felt relieved. Everything after was all a blur though.

She tried to stand, but she couldn't. She couldn't leave the Avatar State either.

And then she realized...she was still poisoned. She was still going to die.

She nearly collapsed onto the ground, but a pair of strong arms caught her. She remembered faintly seeing her father through her fading vision. She could just make out his expression. He was so afraid. She never saw her father afraid before.

Her vision was fading faster now. Her senses were quickly depleting.

Where was she? Who was around her? Were her friends there? Would they have to witness her like this? Would the image of her violent death be forever instilled in their minds?

But then she saw her. And she kept fighting to stay alive. For her. Only her.

She fought against the poison as hard as she could. Her eyes glowed brighter again but then faded shortly after. But everyone around her knew she was trying.

She wouldn't leave her. No. She couldn't die now. Not after all they had been through together. She loved her. She loved her with everything she could give. This distant, closed-off, stubborn, smart, talented, amazing metal bender had stolen her heart and she would never ask for it back.

She loved her every day as if the world was going to end the next moment.

She loved her. But she never told her.

And now she would never even get the chance.

* * *

 

Korra didn't know why she was still here. She didn't know why she chose to stay with Tenzin after her fight with Zaheer. She didn't know why she even decided to keep her title as the Avatar. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't go into the Avatar State anymore. Hell, she couldn't even walk.

She hated the wheelchair. It was a constant reminder of how weak she was now. She hated how the people around her constantly pitied her. Damn right they were sorry about what happened to her. Damn right they felt bad for her. None of them could have survived that. In fact, Korra didn't even know how _she_ had managed to survive the poison.

Yes, Suyin had gotten it out of her system. In a way, she saved her life. But, everyone said she should have been dead long before they needed Su. There was so much poison in Korra's body; she shouldn't have survived that long. Most people, her friends, and even her parents, attributed it to her intense willpower and determination. They knew Korra wasn't just going to give up.

But then Korra glanced up, her eyes meeting those of the person who had never left her side since her battle with Zaheer, and she remembered why she had fought so hard in the first place.

Kuvira didn't pity her. Kuvira didn't belittle her as if she was anything less than the Avatar. Kuvira didn't bring up Zaheer or her injuries. Kuvira didn't make her feel weak. Kuvira didn't even feel sorry for her. Kuvira continued to live her life, though she was often by Korra's side. Korra never complained about that. Kuvira was the only person who continued to treat her normally.

'You're still the Avatar,' Kuvira would always say.

And then Kuvira would pause, think for a few moments, and then give her usual soft grin as her eyes met Korra's.

'You're still _my_ Avatar,' is how Kuvira always corrected herself.

And Korra never loved anymore more than she did in those moments.

* * *

 

"You're...leaving?"

The heartbroken expression on Kuvira's face was enough to make Korra change her mind. But, she knew she needed this. She needed to get away from her life for a little while and take time to heal properly. She knew she would figure something out.

"I have to. Kuvira, I can't stay here. Everyone looks at me like I'm some poor soul who can't do anything for herself anymore! I hate it here now! I need to regroup...heal...get back to how I used to be..."

Kuvira nodded as she looked down to the floor. Korra hated it whenever Kuvira did this: Stop and think, her face a blank mask of no emotion whatsoever. Korra never knew if Kuvira was angry, sad, or disappointed in these moments. It almost scared her, if she was being completely honest with herself.

Then Kuvira looked back to Korra, emerald eyes darkened by sadness meeting soft blue ones laced with regret, and she nodded again.

"You're not even going to say anything?"

"What is there to say Korra?"

The words hurt. Korra could hear the anger in Kuvira's voice. The same voice that had always been so soft and gentle when Kuvira would whisper sweet nothings to Korra after she woke up from a nightmare. She could see Kuvira ball her hands into fists, her muscles tensing. The same arms that had always been so strong and protective when Kuvira held Korra, surrounding the Avatar in a warm embrace that made her feel safe and secure.

Korra didn't want to leave like this.

"I'm sorry..." Korra got out, her voice cracking slightly as tears filled her eyes. "I just need to escape all this for a little while. I can't stand feeling so weak all the time."

Kuvira knelt down in front of Korra, taking the Avatar's hands in her own. Korra loved when they were this close. She loved Kuvira.

"I just...I'm going to miss you," Kuvira said softly. The anger was gone. Only affection remained in Kuvira's voice now.

She didn't want Korra to leave. She wanted to tell her everything: how much she needed her, how much she meant to her...how much she loved her. But that was something she could never say. She would ruin the friendship between them. Kuvira would rather keep Korra in her life as a best friend than lose her because her feelings weren't returned.

"I'll miss you too," Korra said back, brushing her thumb softly across the back of Kuvira's hand. "I just hope you can understand why I'm going alone."

Kuvira nodded. Even though it hurt that Korra wouldn't want her to help her in the Southern Water Tribe, she still saw where the Avatar was coming from. She could only imagine how traumatic Korra's experience was with Zaheer.

"Of course," Kuvira got out in a hushed voice. "I'll write to you though...tell you how things are here. I'll be working on a huge infrastructure project since they need a powerful metal bender for it...so that will keep me busy...take my mind off you for a moment..."

Korra couldn't help the blush that spread across her face. Something about Kuvira's words just made her feel so...insanely happy. To Korra, it seemed like a privilege to be on Kuvira's mind. Kuvira was one of the most respected and well known metal benders in all the nations. If anything, Korra almost felt like she didn't deserve to have the honor of being the first person on Kuvira's thoughts.

But she would say the same. Ever since Kuvira had decided to join her "Team Avatar," her thoughts were constantly filled with the metal bender, about how they met, about Kuvira's past. Just everything...everything was Kuvira.

Even though Mako and Bolin were professional benders, Kuvira was close to notorious around the Earth Kingdom for her talent in the one-on-one battles.

Korra knew her story. How she got into those bending rings in the first place.

Kuvira's parents had abandoned her at only the age of eight. They were extremely disappointed that she wasn't excelling at earth bending. All the other kids in their village had acquired the skill already, some even a couple years before. But Kuvira struggled. She spent her childhood years wondering if she could even bend. Having the added stress and pressure from her parents never helped how she felt about herself. They thought she was weak and would never make anything of her life. So, one day, they just up and left, never telling Kuvira where they went.

She had some friends whom she stayed with, but she could only stay for so long. So she took to life on the streets at the age of only ten (she had found common ground with Bolin and Mako with this, as they could all relate to being alone and having no support from an extremely young age).

It was at this time that she discovered her ability to earth bend. She had no idea where it came from, but one day, she ran into a homeless teenage boy on the streets, and he was determined to take what little food and money she had managed to scour after her parents left. It had come out of nowhere. One second she was thrashing around, trying to get his hands off of her small amount of money and food, and the next second rocks were flying into the boy's body.

Kuvira had been stunned to say the least. She never thought she would have the ability to control an element. But once she found out that her parents were wrong, that she could protect herself, and that she could make something of her life, she never stopped moving forward.

Until she was fifteen, Kuvira spent her time still scouring for food, but she trained herself in earth bending whenever she had the chance. She would find secluded areas in small towns and practice her agility and strength until someone eventually discovered her and threatened to call the authorities if she didn't stop destroying their town's properties. But she excelled quickly. She had studied master earth benders like Toph Beifong. She wanted to be something, _someone_ in the world. She wanted people to know her name.

Korra would often recall the stories Kuvira used to tell her about the earth bending rings as well. She remembered how Kuvira first went into a ring at only the age of sixteen. She ended up losing her first fight – as expected of a rookie, but she didn't go down without giving her opponent a scare. And just by that one fight, Kuvira was already recognized as a talented young earth bender.

Kuvira quickly rose through the ranks in the earth bending rings, beating opponents older and more experienced than she was. No one knew how, but Korra always swore she knew why: because Kuvira was someone who was determined. Kuvira would never give up to achieve a goal.

Korra also remembered that Kuvira taught herself how to metal bend. The countless hours of dedication and commitment to become connected to the sub-element always brought Korra's respect and admiration for Kuvira to another level.

Kuvira had always admired metal benders. She thought it was amazing and beautiful how they could manipulate this sub-element. The combat style was so much different from earth bending. It was graceful, in a way. Metal bending required a person to be light on their feet. They needed to flow with the element, almost the way water benders do.

So Kuvira put in the time, the effort to make herself even more powerful. She knew she wasn't weak by any standards. No, she had taken down entire groups of bandits single-handedly with just her earth bending. But she knew metal bending would give her even more of an advantage.

She hit a few blocks of discouragement though. One was that metal bending was a gift. You couldn't just teach yourself to do it out of the blue. It was a skill you either had, or you just didn't. It was a skill that needed to be awakened. It was a skill that could sit dormant inside a person for their whole life if they never bothered to wonder whether or not they had it.

Kuvira bothered. And Kuvira wondered.

And as it turned out, she was one who had been given that gift.

She had always been nervous. She went through her meditation and training with the thought in her mind that maybe it was all for nothing. Maybe she just didn't have this talent. But until she was dead, she would never stop trying to figure it out.

And the day the metal moved in her hands, the day she found out that yes, she had this gift, was one of the greatest moments of her life. In fact, up until she met Korra, it _was_ the greatest moment in her life.

Kuvira had exceled quickly with her talent of metal bending. As it turned out, the skill was useful for far more than just fighting her way through gangs of bandits or getting out of a tough situation. She found jobs with the skill: repairing buildings, cars, tools, and she even helped in the construction of buildings as well.

But Kuvira wanted more than doing small architectural jobs and wandering around the Earth Kingdom. She wanted to settle down somewhere; she had enough money to do that. She wanted to be in Republic City. She would get a steady job, maybe fighting crime. Maybe she would get a girlfriend along the way. She wanted to live more and not just do the same thing every day.

But she never accomplished that. She ended up right outside Republic City. As she quickly found out from her teenage years: The better you were at fighting in the ring, the more money people bet on you. And more money meant more reputation. And more reputation meant more people wanted to see what you could do.

So Kuvira was brought into a couple rings right outside the city. These rings were breeding grounds for professional benders. Many benders had gone on to compete in Republic City, under flashing lights and cheering crowds, being broadcasted all over the city.

It was here Kuvira met Korra.

It was an awkward first meeting to say the least. Kuvira wondered why the Avatar, of all people, would show up to a bending match when she was already part of the famous Fire Ferrets group. And why Korra had sought her out after her match confused Kuvira even more.

The details were always fuzzy for Kuvira after the moment they met, the moment Korra smiled at her, the moment her eyes locked on Korra's gorgeous, deep blue gaze. But she could recall things being said about Korra always sneaking away from her air bending master, Tenzin, to see professional bending matches in the city and in the rings. She remembered Korra saying something about how Bolin told her of a talented metal bender, how she had never seen metal bending before – nor did Korra know it even existed, and how she thought she would come check it out. Korra was amazed at Kuvira's talent with both earth and metal bending, and she asked if Kuvira would like to join her and Bolin at a small noodle shop in the city. Kuvira agreed, because why would she ever turn down the opportunity to hang out with the Avatar?

And after that, as they say, it was all history.

* * *

 

_**Korra,** _

_**I hope your trip home went well and that you arrived safely.** _

_**It's only been a week and I already miss you like crazy. I've been able to keep myself occupied with this infrastructure project. Apparently, Future Industries is running the operation. I thought they were finished once it was proved that they had helped Amon and his Equalist movement. But apparently that was only Hiroshi Sato. His daughter wasn't really in on the whole 'trying-to-get-rid-of-people's-bending' thing, so she's taken over the company while her father sits in jail.** _

_**So...yeah...all my orders on these new infrastructure plans come from her now. She's brilliant, really. They want to install a better railroad system in the city, and she hired me personally for the job.** _

_**Still...I miss you Korra. When I'm off from work, I feel like I don't know what to do with myself. Maybe I'll try to get back into the ring for a little bit. At least it will give me something to do.** _

_**I hope you're doing okay though. I wish I could be there with you. It's so weird for me now to not be by your side. I want to help you in some way, but I feel like I can't if I'm all the way here in Republic City.** _

_**Anyway, I doubt I'm making any sense with this. It's hard for me to convey to you how I feel about this with just a pen and paper. But know that if you ever want me to come down and be with you...I will.** _

_**I miss you,** _

_**Kuvira** _

Korra felt her eyes tear up as she read through Kuvira's letter. She hadn't expected the metal bender to write so soon, but then she figured...it _was_ Kuvira. And _damn_ Korra would never get over her handwriting. It was so perfect. Well...everything about Kuvira was perfect. At least from Korra's perspective. So of course she would be biased towards literally everything Kuvira did.

Korra set the letter on the side of her desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen. _What to write? What to write?_ She had no idea. She knew she had to respond though. Maybe she should congratulate Kuvira on being hired by Asami Sato. That's not an easy thing to do. Maybe she should encourage Kuvira in going back into the ring for a little while. It did seem like a good option to Korra too. She knew how much Kuvira enjoyed fighting – the thrill, the adrenaline, the winning. Yeah...maybe that would be good for Kuvira.

Korra gave a small nod to herself before she put her pen to the paper. She knew she shouldn't write too much out of fear of both worrying Kuvira about her physical and mental health and the potential of spilling too many feelings into one letter. She didn't want to overwhelm Kuvira with how much she missed her, didn't want to sound too desperate to have Kuvira with her, didn't want to write anything – any feelings, Kuvira might not return.

So instead, she kept it simple.

_**Kuvira,** _

_**I'm doing okay. It's been hard lately, but I think I'll be able to work through this.** _

Korra shook her head, crumpled up the paper, and tossed it away. It didn't sound right. She needed to start with something different.

**_Kuvira,_ **

**_So glad to hear about the job with Future Industries! Although...it doesn't really surprise me, given how talented you are at metal bending. I hope the job goes well!_ **

**_And I think it's a great idea for you to get back in the ring a little bit! I know how much you love the excitement of the whole event. I wish I could be there to see you kick some ass!_ **

**_As for me...I'm doing okay. It would be nice to have you here, but this is really something I need to do on my own. Katara is here with me. She's helping me heal through her water bending. It's been working a little bit, but I need to strengthen my mentality about the whole situation. What Zaheer did to me...it took a larger toll than I thought it would. Hopefully it won't take me too long to recover. I only plan on staying here a few months. But I'll get better. For you. I promise._ **

**_Korra_ **

She read it over. It sounded good. Simple and friendly. Because that's all they were: friends.

* * *

 

Kuvira kept Korra's letter on her nightstand. For the last month, she saw it when she woke up. She saw it when she went to bed. It was a promise – quite literally – that Korra would come back to her. She just had to make it through a couple more months without her. That was it. _A few months._ That's what Korra had said. And Korra never broke a promise to her.

Kuvira had kept herself occupied. The railroad project Asami had her working on certainly took a ton of hours out of her day. It was tiring, and the heat of Republic City didn't help either. She had gotten used to shorts and a tank-top to work in. Asami didn't seem to mind. In fact, Asami seemed as if she liked it. Kuvira always swore she felt the young CEO's eyes on her whenever she was working. She swore Asami's gaze always lingered slightly longer than it probably should have.

But these were just observations, perceptions. And Kuvira doubted herself on whether they were true or not.

Still, she didn't mind the attention Asami Sato gave her. If Asami asked her out for lunch or dinner, Kuvira damn well accepted the offer.

Kuvira denied it at first, but she liked the company Asami gave her. Kuvira wasn't a social being by any standards, so she enjoyed having one person to hang out with. Of course, no one could bring Kuvira as much joy as Korra, but still...Asami made her smile, laugh...she showed her around the city, took her out for nice meals. Kuvira wasn't complaining at all. She even considered Asami her friend, regardless of what Asami considered her.

* * *

 

"Kuvira...you okay?"

Kuvira let out a small sigh of exhaustion at she stopped working on the newest segment of the railroad system. Asami had hired a few other metal benders from Zao Fu, but Kuvira – being the most talented and strongest bender in the group – was often left to do more of the strenuous work.

"I'm fine..." she said, giving Asami a small smile. Clearly, it wasn't very convincing.

"You know...if you want to take a break, you can. I'm not some sort of evil tyrant who wants everything done at an exact time."

That got a light laugh out of Kuvira, and maybe Asami fell for the metal bender a little more.

"Thanks. But really, I'm fine. It's just pretty hot today."

Kuvira wiped the sweat off her brow as she went over to Asami who was holding a water bottle out for her. The metal bender gladly accepted, saying a small 'thanks' to the young CEO.

They sat in silence under the shade of a nearby tree, and Kuvira allowed herself to drown in her thoughts again. She was always trying to keep her mind on her work, but there were always those days when she missed Korra too much to focus on anything else.

"You sure you're okay?" Asami asked softly, noticing the harder expression on Kuvira's face.

"Wha- oh...yeah..." Kuvira sighed out as she took a sip of water. She knew she wasn't getting out of this. Asami could easily tell something was bothering her. She might as well just spill it.

"Actually...yeah, something has been on my mind," Kuvira admitted, looking over to Asami. "And...sorry about working slowly lately. It's just been distracting me."

"Don't worry about it Kuvira. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm kind of...not..."

"What's going on then?"

Kuvira could hear the concern in Asami's voice. She could hear the care. And she trusted Asami enough, which was a rare thing in the first place. It took Kuvira a few weeks to fully trust Korra even though she was the Avatar. Call it weird, but trust was never something Kuvira experienced in her life. That is, she never experienced it until she met Korra.

"I just miss her, ya know?"

Asami already knew Kuvira was talking about Korra. She hated that it made her jealous. Of course Kuvira would be closer to Korra. They've known each other for a couple years by now, and they've spent so much time together. But still, Asami couldn't help it. She couldn't help that she was crushing hard on Kuvira even if she knew there was no chance with the metal bender.

"How is she doing?" Asami asked, keeping her eyes forward and watching the other metal benders as they continued to work.

"She's alright. Coping and...stuff...but she's going to get better. It's hard though," Kuvira answered. She didn't necessarily want to get into the extent of Korra's injuries and mental trauma, but she figured letting out a small portion of her thoughts might help.

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't there. But I can imagine it must have been really scary."

Kuvira nodded as she brought her knees up to her chest. "It was. I mean...she could have died if the poison wasn't removed when it was. It's scary to think about...that Zaheer almost succeeded. He almost beat the Avatar."

Asami glanced over to Kuvira now, and she saw the pain hidden in Kuvira's emerald eyes. She wished she could do something, but she didn't know how to talk about this. She wasn't there. She didn't experience the fear with Kuvira. She couldn't help Kuvira cope with this. But maybe listening was enough.

"And...where did she go?"

"Back home to the Southern Water Tribe. She'll be there for another couple months, but it feels like forever," Kuvira said honestly.

Asami hesitantly reached out her hand and rested it on Kuvira's shoulder. She felt hesitance from the other woman too, felt the muscles tense under her touch. But after a few moments Kuvira relaxed, and she almost enjoyed the physical comfort...if she could call it that without sounding weird.

"Hey..." Asami started softly. "She'll be okay. And a couple months seem like a long time, but they'll go by quickly. This project is almost finished...I'm sure I can find other ways to keep you busy after it," she said, and she was relieved when she saw the small grin tug at Kuvira's lips.

"Yeah, she will. She's strong. And...thanks for the offer. I'll certainly take you up on it." Kuvira smirked a little and gave Asami a playful wink, but it was enough to send the young engineer's heart soaring.

* * *

 

_**Korra,** _

_**It's been a while since I last wrote to you. I apologize...I've been so busy with finishing this project for Asami.** _

_**Anyway, I hope you are getting better every day. I'm sure you are.** _

_**I...really don't know what else to write. I would say that I miss you, but I bet that's pretty obvious. Just have to make it another month without you.** _

_**Kuvira** _

Korra read the letter a few times. She couldn't reply to Kuvira now. Her healing was taking longer than she expected. The mental trauma was holding her back the most. Every time she tried to walk, she would just see his face in front of her, mocking her, taunting her, making her realize that she would never be as strong as she used to be.

Some days she would fall down and not get back up. She was too weak. Well...that wasn't the reality; that was just what she thought of herself.

She received a few letters from Bolin and Mako as well, but she never even replied to them once. She couldn't. She didn't know what to tell them. They wouldn't understand...not the way Kuvira did.

She was lonely though. Without Kuvira, she was so lonely. She wanted to write back, spill all her feelings to the metal bender, ask her to come to the Southern Water Tribe and be with her...this time as more than friends. But she couldn't do that. Well...more like she refused to do that.

So instead, she set the letter down on her desk, and went to sleep.

* * *

 

_**Korra,** _

_**Is everything okay? You were supposed to come back a couple days ago. At least...that's what you told all of us here. Your father arrived in the city yesterday, and he was confused when I told him I had no idea where you were.** _

_**Is something wrong? Do you want me to come down and be with you? You know I would. You'd only have to say the word and I'd be on the next ship there.** _

_**I was a little worried after you didn't respond to my last letter, but I figured you just needed some space. Which I can totally understand. But...jeez, I don't even know how to word any of this. We're all just worried about you Korra. You haven't responded to any of our letters in the last month, and then you don't show up when you say you're supposed to come back.** _

_**Please respond, Korra. Literally, a sheet of paper that says 'hello' on it is okay with me. I just want to know that you're okay.** _

_**Kuvira** _

That was the last letter Kuvira sent to Korra. And now, almost two weeks after Korra was supposed to return to Republic City, Kuvira still didn't receive a letter back.

It was basically torture to Kuvira. She and Korra had exchanged a few letters over the first two months Korra had been gone. But the last month, Kuvira had sent a couple letters, and Korra never wrote back. At first, Kuvira had passed it off. She knew Korra was struggling, and she knew Korra would need time completely isolated from everything and everyone...even her. But then it was harder to accept. Kuvira would never understand why Korra just shut herself off from everyone.

Kuvira hated to admit it, but it made her angry. She cared so much about Korra. She _loved_ Korra. She wasn't just going to let her disappear from society. If Korra couldn't even write back to her then it meant Korra was struggling to recover more than Kuvira thought.

Kuvira knew Korra needed more help. She needed someone who could truly understand her to be there with her. But Kuvira knew that Korra was too damn stubborn to admit it.

* * *

 

Another month...and Korra still hadn't shown up. Tonraq was needed in the city, so he couldn't just go back and ask Korra why she didn't come back to Republic City yet. Kuvira knew Katara was with Korra, so it didn't make sense why there was no response to any of her letters.

Kuvira was breaking down. She needed to hear from Korra. She needed to know what was going on. She wanted to help Korra in some way, but without a response, she couldn't do that. She felt so useless now. Sure, she still had her job working for Asami, but she wasn't as focused now. She spent most of the time worrying about Korra and not enough time actually getting projects finished. Asami was somewhat upset, but at the same time, the young CEO knew the emotional toll this was taking on Kuvira, so she didn't bring it up too much.

But Kuvira didn't know how much more waiting she could handle. She tried to stay hopeful that one day she would go home and there would be a letter from Korra waiting for her. She tried so hard. But she couldn't take it.

She was breaking.

And today was the day she shattered to pieces.

She was filled with so many emotions...too many emotions to handle at once. She tried to convince herself not to write to Korra again and let Korra respond in her own time. But now, Kuvira couldn't wait. If she kept these emotions bottled up for much longer she would surely go insane inside her own head. She wasn't going to let that happen.

So she grabbed a sheet of paper, and she wrote.

* * *

 

_**Really Korra? Fucking really? You said you were going to be gone for a few months. Well guess what? It's been five fucking months now! You could have at least fucking responded to one of my letters. At least let me know you're okay! I've been worried sick about you every fucking day now! I can barely sleep at night because I'm too worried about what's going on with you. In fact...I shouldn't be this worried, but I am. And it's because I fucking love you Korra! Okay...I love you.** _

_**And...it's driving me crazy because I doubt you even feel the same. But I needed to tell you this. I've wanted to tell you how I feel about you for a while now, but I was always afraid you never returned these feelings. But now, I don't fucking care. If you do, then great. I'll be the happiest person in the world. And if you don't, then that sucks for me. But I just can't keep living with these feelings inside me. I needed you to know this Korra.** _

_**I doubt you'll even respond to this, but I hope you do. I don't even care what you tell me either. Tell me to fuck off...great, I'll do that. Tell me to come down and be with you...awesome, I'll do that in a heartbeat. Don't you get it Korra? I'll do anything for you. Anything that will make you happy. Because that's what someone does when they love another person: They do what it takes to make that person happy.** _

_**I love you Korra, and I fucking need you.** _

Korra was crying before she even finished the letter. How could she have been so self-absorbed in her own pain? She wasn't the only one hurting, and it was made clear by Kuvira's letter. She thought that taking time away from everyone and everything would be a good idea, but it only backfired. Instead, she ended up hurting the person she loved most.

And that person loved her too.

And Korra needed that person's help more than anything right now.

_**Kuvira,** _

_**I know that no amount of apologies will make up for how much I've hurt you. But, putting that aside...there's something you need to know, and I don't know why I didn't tell you earlier but...** _

_**There's still poison in my body. I don't know how it stayed there, but that's why my recovery has taken so long and that's why I'm still having flashbacks of...that day. I can't remove it because I'm not a skilled metal bender. If I leave it in for much longer, I might never fully recover.** _

_**I need you right now Kuvira. I want you here with me...I don't know why I never asked you to come down earlier, but it was a stupid mistake. I've realized how much you hold me together, how much you help me. And I feel so fucking guilty for pushing you away. But please...I need you.** _

* * *

__

Kuvira was on the next ship down to the Southern Water Tribe once she received Korra's letter. She didn't even hesitate. She was mildly confused however, that some of the poison remained in Korra. She knew how skilled Suyin was, which is why Su was the one to remove the poison. It didn't make sense that some would be left over. In any case, the only thing that mattered was that it was hindering Korra's recovery, and Kuvira was prepared to help Korra in any way she could.

However, she was _not_ prepared for the change of climate. She owned a jacket, but it wasn't nearly enough to protect her from the blistering cold of Korra's homeland. Kuvira had thrown on a couple long-sleeved shirts under the jacket once she felt the cold. It had helped a little, but she was still shivering.

In fact, Kuvira was surprised she could move once her ship docked. She felt ridiculous. A metal bender didn't belong here. Everything was white and frozen, and Kuvira hoped to the spirits that there would be warmth somewhere, anywhere.

She was greeted by Katara at the docks. The old woman had on a light jacket, pants, and boots. Kuvira would always wonder how these people managed to get used to this kind of cold.

"Where's Korra?"

"She's at home. She...didn't feel too comfortable going out in public yet," Katara answered, and her voice was almost hushed as she shook Kuvira's hand and gave the metal bender a soft smile. "I don't think she was expecting you to come so quickly. So this will surely bring a smile to her face."

Kuvira only managed a small nod in response, and she slung her bag over her shoulder as she followed Katara through the small town. Kuvira actually found herself enjoying the quaintness of it all. There weren't many people out as it was getting late, but the few they passed stopped and said hello, and then they asked about Korra. Kuvira liked the familiarity among the people. Everyone knew everyone. It was a quiet place, but Kuvira always remembered Korra telling her stories about the festivals and how exciting the place could become.

The scenery changed quickly though as they neared Chief Tonraq's...home? Mansion? Castle? Kuvira didn't really know what to call it. But it was huge. She never would have thought this kind of building would exist in a place where just about everyone lived in igloos. But...powerful people always got perks, as Kuvira had learned from her years growing up on the streets of the Earth Kingdom.

As she walked with Katara up the steps to the front doors, Kuvira ran her hand along the smooth stone railing of the steps. _Flawless,_ she thought. But she quickly shook her head. She was here to be with Korra, not marvel at the architecture of this building.

"Uhhh..." Kuvira just looked around once they entered Tonraq's home (but Kuvira figured this _was_ Korra's home too).

"It's quite amazing, isn't it?" Katara walked next to Kuvira, and she smiled up to the metal bender.

"Yeah...if that word can even describe it. It's beautiful...I mean...the craft, the design..." Kuvira trailed off as she glanced from the high ceilings engraved with multiple patterns of crisscrossing shapes to the statues of what she assumed to be water bending masters lining the left hallway.

"That's where Chief Tonraq's office is. He conducts all his political meetings there. Don't worry, it gets homier on the next floor," Katara said, nodding to Kuvira as she started up a flight of stairs right in front of the main entrance.

"Korra doesn't know I'm here?" Kuvira asked, taking her jacket off and placing it on top of her bag.

"No. I told her I was going out to get some fresher water for her healing sessions." Katara patted a small flask of water on her hip. "Only small areas in her legs are bothering her now. But I'm assuming she told you...about the poison."

"Yes. She said some of it was still in her system. Which is somewhat confusing. But it's serious nonetheless," Kuvira responded.

Katara nodded in agreement as they reached the second floor. "Her room is the last one down the hall on the right. I'll go check on her...see if she fell asleep or something."

Kuvira stood in her spot as she watched Katara walk away, but the older woman stopped and turned, and before she knew it, Kuvira was being pulled along behind her.

"How has she been? Aside from the poison..." Kuvira said, keeping her voice quiet as they walked down the hall.

"Better, actually. The nightmares and flashbacks are the biggest issue. They really get to her, as you would imagine. But she's walking again. I mean, she can't walk long distances, but she's improving every day. It's helped her confidence. I'm sure with you being here, she'll only recover even more."

Kuvira smiled at the compliment, but her smile dropped once Katara knocked on Korra's door.

"Korra? Are you awake?" Katara asked.

"I am now..." Came Korra's response a few moments later.

"There's someone here to see you," Katara said, a small smile on the older woman's face.

"Now? It's so late! Can't they wait until tomorrow?" Korra's voice was muffled, and a grin tugged at the corners of Kuvira's lips as she imagined Korra lying face down on her bed, smothered with pillows.

"I certainly don't want to wait until tomorrow, considering you asked for me." The words were out of Kuvira's mouth before she could even think about it, but it didn't take long for the door to open.

Korra was standing there, though she was using Naga's head as slight support. There were tears in her eyes when she looked at Kuvira. And Kuvira didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. All the metal bender could focus on was the fact that she was here, with Korra. And for the moment, everything in the world seemed perfect.

"You...You came?" Korra's voice cracked as she got the words out, and Kuvira knew she was trying to hold back her tears.

"Of course I came. You asked me to."

And then Korra's arms were around Kuvira's shoulders, holding the metal bender so tight Kuvira thought she might not be able to breathe soon.

Kuvira returned the affection. Her arms found their way around Korra's waist, and soon she felt Korra nuzzle against her neck. It all felt oddly intimate. They were just friends. Well, Kuvira didn't really know what they were after her last letter to Korra.

Kuvira could feel the tension in Korra's arms. She could tell Korra was struggling to stay on her feet. So, Kuvira closed the door behind them and slowly led Korra to her bed. It was hard for her to see Korra in this condition. It was rare that Korra ever let her guard down. But now, Korra was in her most vulnerable state. She was completely exposed, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Korra let out a sigh of relief once she sat down on the edge of her bed. She still kept her arms around Kuvira though. She didn't want to let go of her...friend? If that was the right word for their relationship. She wanted it to be more though. Girlfriends. Lovers. Whatever. Just...something more. Something that moved past this barrier between them. And even though both of them wanted to tear that barrier down, they still held back. And for what reason, neither of them knew.

"Hey...get some sleep," Kuvira said softly, pulling away just enough so she could meet Korra's eyes. "We'll talk more tomorrow about...stuff..." Kuvira doubted now was a good time to bring up the poison, but she could see that Korra knew what she was referring to.

"Y-Yeah...I'm pretty tired. Had a long day of healing, so I'm pretty wiped out," Korra said in return.

Kuvira went to stand as Korra lied back on her bed, but soon she felt Korra's hand latch onto her arm. She turned back towards the younger girl, and she could see the pleading look in Korra's eyes.

"Um...would you mind...staying with me?" Korra asked. Her voice was quiet and shy, and Korra glanced down, almost afraid to look at Kuvira out of fear of rejection.

Kuvira nodded and smiled. "Of course. Just...let me change," she answered.

Once Korra let go of her arm, Kuvira picked up her bag from the door and went into the bathroom to change into a pair of night clothes. She quickly threw on a pair of baggy night pants and a tank top before she headed back out to Korra. She set her bag down in front of Korra's bed, and she unbraided her hair as she climbed under the covers next to Korra.

Korra instantly turned on her side and cuddled close to Kuvira, and she draped an arm across Kuvira's stomach. She felt Kuvira's muscles tense for a small moment under her arm, but the metal bender soon relaxed next to Korra, and she put her right arm around Korra's shoulders, bringing the younger girl closer against her.

"What are we?" Korra asked suddenly, taking Kuvira's free hand in her own, and their fingers laced together as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What do you mean?"

"You know."

And Kuvira did know. She glanced down to their hands, breathing out softly, and when she turned her eyes back to Korra, they were met by the younger girl's own blue eyes, except now they were darker and sadder. A stark contrast to their usual sky blue color.

"I-I don't know Korra..."

"I think...in your letter...you knew what you wanted us to be."

"I was upset and worried about you," Kuvira answered. "But it was all true. I don't expect you to return - ,"

"I do."

"What?"

"I-I started falling for you a long time ago Kuvira," Korra admitted, keeping her eyes on the woman pressed against her. "Probably after the first time we fought against the Equalists together. I don't know...but something just clicked between us. We fought as if we'd been fighting for years with each other. It all felt so natural...so...right.

"You were so mysterious, which is another reason why I was drawn to you. I was always wondering about how you ended up in those bending rings and what you did before that. I wondered how you became so talented at your elements. Sometimes I was even a little jealous that you were so good. But still...you were so intriguing, so isolated. I wanted to be the person to get through to you, to figure out what was going on in that mind of yours."

"And you did," Kuvira said, looking up at the ceiling, unconsciously playing with Korra's fingers still laced with her own. "I trusted you. Maybe it was because of how quickly and openly you were willing to trust me, but I knew I could count on you. I...probably can't pinpoint the exact moment I started to want something more with you, but I just know that for this past year I've wanted to tell you, wanted to ask you on a date or something...but I was just so afraid you wouldn't feel the same."

"You know, it's okay to say it," Korra replied, a smile coming to her lips as she kept her eyes on Kuvira. After a few moments, her eyes were met with beautiful emerald ones.

"Say what?"

"The word...the one you wrote in your last letter to me..."

Kuvira knew which word Korra was talking about. "I-I'm still afraid."

"Of what? What could possibly be holding you back right now?"

"I don't know. Maybe I've just never felt this way for someone. Maybe I've never experienced what it's like to have someone return my own feelings. Maybe I don't even know what the word means because I've never had it in my life until now."

Korra propped herself up on her left elbow, her expression more serious as she kept her eyes locked with Kuvira's.

"You don't have to be afraid," Korra said softly. "I know what it means. It's what we have, Kuvira. I'm not scared of it. I know it can be a daunting thing, but if you share it with the right person, it's the greatest thing in the world. I'm not afraid of saying it either. Maybe if I tell you, it will let you know that I do feel the same way. Because I do. I'm not lying, and I know it will never be a lie as long as I say it to you...

"I love you Kuvira."

* * *

 

It was the first night Korra slept through without having a nightmare. She knew the obvious reason. She knew everything was better when she was with Kuvira.

Korra felt movement beside her, so she tightened her grip around Kuvira's midsection. She smiled instantly when she heard Kuvira let out a low chuckle.

"Morning to you too," Kuvira said, her voice lower than usual and more raspy from sleep. Korra wished she could wake up to it every morning. And, well...after last night, that possibility didn't seem so out there after all.

"Mmorning..." Korra mumbled, trying to press closer to Kuvira.

The metal bender smiled and let out a small sigh as she light ran her fingers through Korra's hair. She still couldn't believe that this was real. Yes, she had stayed with Korra through rough nights before. She had been there for the Avatar whenever she had had flashbacks or nightmares. She had always been there to comfort Korra no matter what.

But now it felt different. Maybe it was because of Korra's admission of her feelings last night. Maybe it was because Kuvira knew Korra felt the same way. Maybe it was because they were away from Republic City and people who would most likely judge them for how they felt about each other. It could have been anything for Kuvira. But lying next to Korra, knowing that what they had was real and true, made Kuvira happier than she had ever been in her whole life.

"Wanna get up?" Kuvira asked softly.

"Nooo..." Korra whined back, which put another smile on Kuvira's face.

"You have to. Come on."

"Ughhh...why are you making this so difficult?"

"You're the one making it difficult by refusing to get up."

"Oh, and I'm assuming you've never just not wanted to get out of bed the whole day?"

Kuvira grinned a little and playfully pushed Korra off her as she sat up in the bed, propping herself up with her elbows. "I usually wake up early in general," she answered.

"Pfft...whatever..." Korra was silent for a few moments, and Kuvira thought the Avatar had fallen asleep. But just as she was about to give Korra a small shake, the younger girl looked up at her. "Um...would you mind, uh, helping me?" she asked, and now her voice was quieter, almost as if she was afraid to ask Kuvira for assistance.

Of course, Kuvira nodded without any hesitation.

Korra managed to crack a small smile, and she slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed. It was always discouraging whenever she had to get up. She was always thankful she could do it though. Naga was usually the one to provide help for her, but now she had Kuvira, and she would never be able to describe how thankful she was to have someone like Kuvira in her life, to have someone like Kuvira care about her, love her.

Korra wrapped one of her arms around Kuvira's shoulders, and she soon felt Kuvira's arm slip around her waist. Kuvira didn't actually have to hold Korra up or anything, but Korra did need to use Kuvira as a little leverage. It was weird in a way for Korra. Some days it felt like her feet weren't working, and other days it would be her knees. Korra had spent months in this condition. She always berated herself for not feeling fortunate enough to be able to walk again. But still...she would never get over the fact that she felt weak. She was the Avatar, after all.

With Kuvira's assistance, Korra walked to the bathroom, and she quickly brushed her teeth while Kuvira waited for her just outside the door. When Korra opened the door, she found that Kuvira had already changed into a fresh pair of clothes. Korra couldn't help but admire Kuvira's figure for a few moments. And with the airy training pants and dark green tank top Kuvira was wearing, Korra could easily see the athletic form of the metal bender.

Kuvira turned around once she finished brushing through her hair, and Korra's jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the metal bender with her hair down. Korra had seen Kuvira's hair out of her usual braid or bun a few times, but it had always been after a fight or a training session, so it was messy every time. Of course, Korra always found Kuvira's messy hair extremely attractive, but seeing it like this, slightly wavy and flowing over one of Kuvira's shoulders, produced a completely different feeling in Korra. Instead of just looking attractive – as always – Kuvira was just absolutely gorgeous. Of course, Korra had always known the metal bender was beautiful, but right now was even more than that.

Korra was speechless for a few moments, and when she finally managed to rake her eyes away from Kuvira's body and hair, she actually remembered what she was supposed to be asking Kuvira.

"Hey...um...would you mind getting Katara for me?" Korra asked, and her voice came out shier than usual. She didn't know why. Maybe it was because this situation could get extremely awkward in just a short amount of time.

"Uh, yeah sure. What do you need her for?"

"She just usually helps me change and I - ," Korra cut herself off before she could embarrass herself even more. Her cheeks were on fire as she darted her eyes away from Kuvira's questioning gaze.

"It's still hard for you." It was a statement. Not a question. As if Kuvira was saying it more to herself rather than directing it at Korra. "You know...I can just help you if you want."

And there it was. The exact words Korra _didn't_ want to hear come out of Kuvira's mouth. She was just digging herself into a deeper hole as it was now. First she confesses her love to Kuvira and now she puts herself in a position where Kuvira would help her change because she's still too weak to do it herself.

"I mean...it's okay. I can get Katara. I don't want to make it awkward or anything," Kuvira said, nervously scratching the back of her neck. _You already did that, dumbass,_ she told herself, shaking her head a little.

Korra was stuck. She wanted Kuvira to get Katara simply to avoid the pending awkward situation, but at the same time, she wanted Kuvira to help her. But if she asked, would she seem too desperate? Clingy, maybe? Korra didn't know, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out either.

_Ah, fuck it...I already professed my love last night. This couldn't hurt..._

"Um...actually, are you sure you wouldn't mind?" Korra asked, looking to Kuvira with hopeful eyes.

"I'm sure. I mean, I'm here...and...I'm supposed to be helping you, right?"

"But I don't want to make you feel like you're obligated to do that. Katara is used to it. If this makes you uncomfortable or - ,"

"No. Really Korra, I'm fine with it."

Korra nodded, and soon Kuvira had an arm wrapped around her midsection as she led Korra over to her drawer to get a fresh pair of clothes. She chose a pair of sweatpants that were easy to slip on, and a simple blue tank top. She felt slightly self-conscious when she got out her bra and underwear. She knew there was no reason to be, but she couldn't help it. She knew Kuvira was here to support her, but there was this new feeling that right now would be crossing over some sort of line.

Korra sat down on the edge of the bed and handed Kuvira her clothes.

"Um...I'm fine with the top...just my legs that don't really cooperate with me," Korra said softly, grabbing her bra and tank top from the pile of clothes now in Kuvira's arms.

"Yeah...uh, do you want me to - ,"

"It's okay. I mean, uh, do whatever you want."

Korra mentally cringed at her words. She might as well have just flat out told Kuvira to look at her boobs or something because to Korra that was definitely what it sounded like she was implying.

To her luck though, Kuvira turned her head the other way as Korra changed. The metal bender eyed Naga, who was still lying right next to the door in a deep slumber as Korra quickly threw on her bra and tank top.

"All clear?" Kuvira asked, registering a light chuckle from Korra.

"All clear," Korra said back. But her smile quickly fell, and she bit her lip as she looked down at her pants. "Um...you're sure?"

"Yeah. Really Korra, please don't worry about this. I mean, it's not like we're...ya know..."

Yes, Korra did know, but she wanted Kuvira to say it. Was that weird? Korra mentally affirmed that yes, it was weird.

"Okay...so I'm okay with getting everything off. It's just...well, yeah..."

Kuvira nodded and set Korra's fresh clothes down onto the bed, and she averted her eyes again as Korra slipped off her night pants, even though she really did want to admire Korra's figure, see more of her perfectly smooth, tan skin.

"Alright..." Korra sighed out, grabbing her underwear. "Um...can you...?"

"Wha- oh, yeah, I got it," Kuvira said. She hesitated for a few moments, trying to figure out how she could make this work without feeling like she was violating Korra in any way. She noticed Korra tugging the hem of her tank top over the area between her legs. "Okay, uh...I'll just...keep my eyes on you."

Korra only responded with a slight nod of her head as Kuvira dropped onto her knees and slipped Korra's underwear onto her legs. She kept her eyes on Korra's face, watching carefully for any signs of discomfort. When she saw nothing that would tell her she was doing something wrong, Kuvira slid the waist line high enough until Korra could pull it up the rest of the way. Korra's eyes never met hers the entire time, so Kuvira placed her hand under Korra's chin and tilted the Avatar's head down slightly so their eyes could meet, and Kuvira saw the tears clouding Korra's eyes.

"Hey..." Kuvira started softly. "It's okay."

Korra shook her head. "No...it's not. I-I can't even get dressed by myself anymore. I'm...completely dependent on other people... I just-I want to get back to my life already."

Kuvira's heart broke for Korra. She would never be able to imagine what this experience was like for her best friend. But she didn't want Korra to feel like she was weak because of it.

"You will," Kuvira assured. "I promise. We're going to fix a lot today. You'll see. Once that remaining poison is out of your body, your recovery will be a lot quicker," she finished, grabbing Korra's pants and slipping them over Korra's feet, and she still kept her eyes locked with Korra's.

"What if you can't help me though?" Korra asked as she was now able to pull her pants up the rest of the way. She regretted the question the moment it left her mouth. She saw the hurt flash briefly across Kuvira's eyes, but it was enough to break Korra's heart. The last thing she would ever want was to make Kuvira feel as if she wasn't capable of something.

"You...don't think I can get the rest of the poison out?" Kuvira stayed kneeling in front of Korra, but the Avatar couldn't bear to meet Kuvira's eyes now.

Korra bit her lip and sighed out softly. She felt Kuvira freeze when she rested her hands on the metal bender's forearms. Her touch was soft as she slowly ran her thumbs across Kuvira's skin. She knew her question had put Kuvira on edge, and she wanted to calm down the metal mender.

"I do. It's just...it's discouraging. Suyin couldn't get all of it out. And I just...I want to get better. I want to get back to my life," Korra said, finally pulling her eyes to Kuvira's.

"You will. But you have to put some faith in me." Kuvira cracked a small grin, trying to ease Korra's worries even if it was just for a moment. "I'm a pretty good metal bender, ya know."

Korra managed to smile at that. Well, it wasn't at Kuvira's words. It was more from Kuvira's expression. She still had that grin tugging at her lips. She had that soft and encouraging look in her eyes. She had that relaxed body language that somehow conveyed to Korra that this was going to work out.

"But you should eat before we do anything," Kuvira continued, her tone more serious now.

Just as Kuvira went to stand up, Korra locked her hands around Kuvira's wrists and kept the metal bender in place.

Kuvira's breath hitched when she realized just how close she was to Korra. Their breaths mixed with one another's and their lips were merely a few inches apart. Kuvira wished she could lean in and close the distance left between them. But she knew that would definitely be crossing over the line. And for a moment, she swore Korra was going to kiss her when she felt Korra's body getting closer to her own. But instead, she was pulled into a tight embrace. And she would be lying if she said she wasn't just slightly disappointed.

Still, she returned the affection and wrapped her arms securely around Korra's waist. She felt Korra nuzzle against her neck, and Kuvira closed her eyes in content.

"Thank you," Korra whispered. "For being here. For helping me through this. For supporting me. Just...for everything. You have no idea how much this means to me... How much _you_ mean to me..."

There was a moment of awkward silence between them, and it left Korra feeling like she shouldn't have said any of that. Maybe she freaked Kuvira out with all her mushy feelings. Or maybe Kuvira was just doing this because she felt obligated to. Or maybe –

"You know I would do anything for you..."

And Korra fell in love with Kuvira all over again in that moment.

* * *

 

It turned out to be a sunny day. Cold. But sunny nonetheless, and it made all the difference to Kuvira. She only wore a long-sleeved shirt over her tank top, and she brought a light jacket...just in case.

Korra had suggested they go out past town. Kuvira didn't know why, but if she had to guess, it would be because Korra was still self-conscious about being seen by people in her weakened state.

Kuvira carried a small bag with that held her jacket, a small bowl to collect whatever poison she could manage to get out of Korra, and some metal bands. Kuvira was silently hoping she wouldn't have to use the bands on Korra, but if they were necessary for her to have any accomplishment with helping Korra recover, she wouldn't hesitate to use them.

Once Korra had decided they were far enough from her village, Kuvira dropped her bag onto the snow-covered ground and helped Korra slide off Naga's back. Korra managed to stand for a few minutes, but after that it was too difficult, so she plopped onto the ground and leaned against Naga.

"Okay...so, uh, I should probably figure out where the remaining poison is," Kuvira said, kneeling down next to Korra. "So I need you to stand up. You can use Naga for some support if you feel like you'll need it."

"You can sense metal?" Korra asked as she followed Kuvira's instructions. She braced one of her arms against Naga's side just in case, but she felt she could stay on her feet for the most part.

"Just like you can sense water? I'm assuming that's how it works," Kuvira said back, and a soft laugh escaped her as she rested her hands on Korra's shoulders.

"I guess. It's just...really cool. Like, it seems like some sort of superpower or something."

Kuvira admired Korra's expression for a short moment. She looked completely in awe of this skill Kuvira had, like she was revering Kuvira for her talent in metal bending. And for some reason it filled Kuvira with this sense of pride; it never failed to raise her confidence whenever Korra complimented her.

"Then I guess that makes me a superhero?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow at Korra and smirked. She was satisfied by the light blush she was able to put on Korra's cheeks.

"Yeah...I suppose it does," Korra answered quietly, trying not to react too much as she felt Kuvira's hands make their way down her arms.

Kuvira gave Korra a smile that was so genuine and happy that Korra felt as if she could cry. She had never seen Kuvira look so relaxed and content the way she did now. She never saw Kuvira's eyes filled with as much affection as they held in this moment. And just looking back at Kuvira's expression now reminded Korra of all the reasons she had fallen for the metal bender in the first place.

"Uh...no poison left in your arms," Kuvira said quickly, trying to shake some of the overwhelming feelings that came to her basically whenever she looked at Korra.

The Avatar nodded, and she hoped Kuvira didn't hear when her breath hitched in her throat once the metal bender moved behind her. This shouldn't be happening. This was all too intimate in an odd sort of way for it to be passed off as merely best friends helping each other out. The way Kuvira's hands roamed Korra's back, her sides, her waist. The metal bender's touch so delicate and soothing that it calmed Korra yet sent what felt like bolts of electricity up and down her spine. The way Korra could feel every one of Kuvira's soft exhales of breath on the back of her neck.

She had a feeling she would give in eventually. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about that. But that was kind of hard to do when the woman responsible for all her intense feelings and emotions was standing right behind her.

"So you have a little right here," Kuvira said, lightly poking Korra's left hip. "I'll try to work this out first. Just from here, I can already sense that the rest is scattered throughout your legs, which would make sense given your condition now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Korra mentally slapped herself for sound so accusatory. She didn't mean for her tone to come out that way.

"Just...how you're still struggling to recover. How it's hard to use your legs for an extended amount of time," Kuvira explained, brushing off Korra's harsh tone of voice.

"Oh...yeah, I guess that does make sense..." Korra felt ridiculous for some reason. She shouldn't have snapped at Kuvira, but she was just so anxious about getting this over with. She didn't know if it would hurt or if Kuvira could even get the rest of the poison out of her. Still, Korra put her faith in Kuvira.

Kuvira gave her friend an encouraging smile as she moved back in front of Korra.

"Just tell me if it hurts of if you want to sit down, okay?"

Korra nodded in agreement. She decided to stay standing. She didn't know why she thought it would hurt. She could vaguely remember feeling close to nothing when Suyin had saved her life. But then again, that might have been because her entire body was numb and that she was dying. But still, if it had hurt so bad, she figured she would have felt at least something. Or maybe it was because now there was –

Yeah...that was why.

Korra let out a strained cry of pain as she collapsed onto the ground, gripping tightly at her hip even though she knew it wouldn't ease the burning sensation.

"Fuck!" Korra yelled, digging her fingers of her free hand tightly into the ground. She could feel the tears coming to her eyes now.

Her entire body was on fire. All she felt was an intense burning pulsing throughout her body. There was so much pain...too much pain. Her whole body ached, and where the poison was in her hip, it felt as if that entire piece of her body had just been sawed right off her. It was horrible. It was scary. She thought she might pass out from the intensity of the pain.

"Shit...Korra...I-I'm so sorry..." Kuvira said, instantly dropping to her knees to take Korra into her arms. "I-I had no idea it would - ,"

"Stop..." Korra choked out through her strangled cries. "Just...keep...going..."

Kuvira almost refused given Korra's current state of complete agony. She thought she felt her heart shattering at the sight of her best friend in front of her, even more vulnerable and completely broken down. But she could sense that she had moved the poison in the right direction. It was just so hard because there was such a tiny amount of it in Korra's bloodstream. Kuvira knew this whole ordeal wouldn't be easy to get through. But she continued anyway. It was what Korra wanted.

It was only another few seconds before Korra broke out into another round of muffled screams and cries of pain as the poison was moved further up her body. Her hands were now gripping at Kuvira's arms, and the metal bender could feel Korra's nails digging into her skin through the fabric of her sleeves.

"Okay...I didn't want to do this, but it will make this a lot easier for me," Kuvira mumbled.

Korra was too absorbed in the searing pain in her entire body to notice Kuvira's words. But she did notice it when suddenly, her arms and legs were pinned to the ground. She slowly cracked open her eyes, and they landed on the metallic bands cuffing her wrists and ankles to the ground.

"K-Kuvira...wha- ,"

"I told you, I didn't want to do this," Kuvira said, and Korra could see the guilt in the metal bender's deep green eyes. "But I can't get this poison out of you if you're struggling and moving around. It will make it easier for me if your body is flat. That way, I can just move the poison right to where I need it to go. Now, you're going to have to fight through the pain because it will only get worse once I start with the poison in your legs and feet."

Kuvira's voice betrayed the metal bender's expression. She sounded angry, in a way...threatening almost. And it actually scared Korra a little. Okay...it scared her _a lot._

"Kuvira...please...I can - ,"

Korra was interrupted from her pleading for Kuvira to let her go by an agonizing scream erupting from her throat. She couldn't even try to think about something else to distract her because the pain was so intense it occupied every part of her body and mind. Korra thought that this could probably pass as torture, and it damn well felt like it too.

Kuvira hated seeing Korra hurting so much, but she knew that once they got through this, Korra would be able to recover fully. She would be happy again, and she would be able to get back to her Avatar duties and assimilate back into the life she had before Zaheer. And to Kuvira, a reward like that was definitely worth going through a small moment of pain like this.

Because that's what it was: A few moments of excruciating pain. It felt like an eternity for Korra, but in reality it only took Kuvira about ten seconds to actually get the metal from her hip out of her system.

Kuvira drew out the metal through Korra's mouth like Suyin had done all those months before, and she set it into the bowl she had laid out on the snow. Kuvira herself was sweating despite the cold air around her. The intense concentration to hold onto the small amount of metal poison took a lot of energy out of her. Plus, she had to fight the urge to stop just to let Korra rest. But she knew if she did that then she would never accomplish removing the rest of the poison.

Korra was left shaking and crying after the whole ordeal. It tormented Kuvira to see Korra like this especially since she knew she was the one who caused her best friend this kind of pain.

Kuvira slowly removed the metal bands from Korra's wrists and ankles. She knew Korra would definitely pass out if she kept going with this. So she would give Korra a break for a while, let her best friend push through it, and then continue once she was sure Korra could handle it.

"Hey..." Kuvira said softly. She wasn't expecting any response from Korra. At least not a verbal one. She reached out and took one of Korra's hands in her own, and Korra instantly laced their fingers together with the little strength she could manage.

"You're going to be okay," Kuvira continued, giving Korra's hand a small squeeze. "You just have to push through this last bit here."

Korra whined something incoherent, and she tugged softly on Kuvira's arm. The metal bender got the message, and she moved closer to Korra so she was almost pressing against her. The Avatar quickly latched onto Kuvira as another round of cries shook her body, but they were softer this time, and within a few more minutes, Korra's cries died down and only an occasional small whimper escaped her.

Kuvira ran her fingers of her free hand slowly through Korra's hair. She let out a small breath as she tried to push away the guilt of hurting her best friend like this. She knew there was no way to avoid the pain. She knew Korra would have to endure it if she ever wanted to completely recover. But still. Kuvira hated knowing that she could hurt Korra so much.

"You think you're ready?" Kuvira asked when she noticed Korra's breathing had leveled out.

"Y-Yeah..."

"You sure? We can always wait. We can do the rest tomorrow if you - ,"

"No, I-I want to do this now. I don't want to wait another day," Korra said, and her voice was a little stronger now.

Kuvira nodded as she grabbed the metal bands. "I hate that I'm doing this to you...but it did make the process quicker," she said, and before Korra could blink, her wrists and ankles were locked to the ground again.

"I think I can thank you later for that," Korra responded as she looked up to Kuvira.

Kuvira was able to manage a tight-lipped grin, caught in between whether or not she should find Korra's comment amusing given their current situation.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kuvira said back.

She placed her hand on Korra's leg so she could pinpoint exactly where the poison was. Once she found it, she set to work.

It was hard to continue. Kuvira knew how much pain Korra was in right now. She had just moved the poison past Korra's waist, but the Avatar was already in tears. Korra's hands and feet strained against the metal cuffs, and Kuvira was pretty sure the edges of the cuffs broke the skin on Korra's wrists at some point. There was a thin coating of sweat on Korra's skin despite the bitter coldness of the air. Kuvira considered stopping the whole thing, but she knew Korra would actually be mad at her if she did.

Kuvira knew that if _she_ wanted to finish this, she would have to push past any guilt working its way into her mind about hurting Korra like this.

So that's exactly what she did.

Kuvira shut her eyes and only concentrated on the metal poison she was moving through Korra's body. She didn't let Korra's whimpers and cries of pain shake her focus. This was it. Once this last bit of poison was removed, Korra's healing would be so much easier.

The whole process was over within a minute, but it felt like hours for Korra...and even Kuvira was physically wiped out once she pulled the poison from Korra's mouth and set it into the bowl. There wasn't much poison there. Not even a couple ounces. But considering how it was spread through Korra's body, it made sense that it would be affecting her so much.

Kuvira finally managed to turn her eyes to Korra, and she was met with the Avatar shuddering and crying on the ground. Kuvira quickly took away the metal cuffs and wrapped her arms around Korra's shoulders. She didn't know what to say. What could she say? She had just put her best friend (girlfriend? She was still trying to figure that out) through what could probably be considered as torture.

Kuvira wasn't expecting the response she got from Korra. She was usually the kind of person who could react to anything thrown her way. But this was so different.

She didn't know when it happened, but she felt Korra gripping the fabric of her shirt, felt her body being pulled forward, and felt Korra's lips on her own.

But even if she wanted to, Kuvira couldn't react to this, because it was over just as suddenly as it had started. And instantly after, Korra buried her face into Kuvira's chest, letting more tears fall from her eyes.

"Thank you..." Korra whispered, and Kuvira almost didn't hear it.

"You saved my life before...it's about time I was able to return the favor."

* * *

 

Kuvira went through the rest of the day mildly confused. She wasn't sure if she should mention anything about the kiss, or if she should let Korra bring it up on her own.

Still, she was just relieved that already, Korra was getting better. Korra was able to walk most of the way back to her home. The only reason she became exhausted was for good reason: she had just been through hell and back. So Kuvira and Korra rode Naga the rest of the way back, which wasn't a very long time anyway.

They had eaten dinner with Katara, and the older woman was glad to see that Kuvira had successfully removed the poison. She said that Korra would benefit from a few more healing sessions, but other than that, she could start getting back to her normal life.

"Do you want to do some light training tomorrow with me?" Kuvira asked as she and Korra headed to the Avatar's room for the night.

Korra nodded in response. "Yeah...I think that would be really good. I'm still not sure if I can go into the Avatar State, so maybe I can try."

"If you feel up for it. You heard what Katara said; you still need a few days to build up some more strength."

"I know. But I just want to get back out there and, ya know, be the Avatar again."

Kuvira cracked a small smile. "Korra, you'll always be the Avatar," she said as she opened the door to Korra's room, closing it once they both entered the room.

Korra sat on the edge of the bed and put her head in her hands. "Still...I should have been stronger. I should have been able to beat Zaheer. But I didn't."

"Korra, look at me," Kuvira said softly, and she knelt down in front of Korra and took both of the Avatar's hands in her own. "It wasn't just Zaheer. It was the Red Lotus. They were experienced benders. You can't do everything on your own, Korra."

Obviously Kuvira was right. Korra would never admit it out loud, but she knew she was stubborn in the past, and that was how she got herself into some of the situations she had been in. She tried too hard to do things by herself. If she had learned anything through being the Avatar and facing the challenges she had, it would be that she needs help from others.

Korra looked up and met Kuvira's deep green eyes. She didn't know if she could ever adequately thank Kuvira for all she had done. She came down to the Southern Water Tribe. She removed the rest of the poison. But most importantly, Kuvira had always supported Korra. Kuvira had always been there for Korra; she had always loved Korra.

"Hey, Kuvira?" Korra got out softly. She felt Kuvira's body freeze for a short moment as she rested her hand on the metal bender's cheek.

"Yeah?" Kuvira said back, her voice equally as soft as Korra's.

"Um...about earlier today...with uh...ya know...the kiss..." Korra said, stumbling over her words. "I know it wasn't the greatest of moments and...I'm sorry if you - ,"

"Korra, you know how I feel about you. I uh, I was actually going to ask you about that...um...well..." Kuvira trailed off. _How exactly do you ask someone if you can kiss them again?_ It seemed like an easy question, but with Korra looking back at her, it became so much harder.

But Korra quickly got the message when she saw Kuvira's eyes flicker down to her lips for just a split second. Korra nodded once Kuvira's eyes met hers again.

When their lips met this time, it was soft and cautious, both of them easily melting into the kiss. They kept the kiss short, and they pulled away after a few moments, but they were both smiling like idiots once their eyes met.

"Stay here with me," Korra whispered, her hands resting on both of Kuvira's shoulders now. "You can help me train and...stuff. I can show you around my home village and other areas down here. It'll be nice. Just the two of us, alone together."

"Sounds perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whoa, I finally posted another short :D I'm working on another short now! It's a Kuvirasami one.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one! It was super fun to write! Keep the suggestions coming for any prompt you want for a Korvira or Kuvirasami short!
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> \- A


	10. Expectations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I've decided to try my hand at writing some canon Kuvirasami and what a visit between Asami and Kuvira might be like.
> 
> I can't imagine I'll add any romance in here, but I will put the romance in a second part of this. I'm doing two parts mainly because I don't want to end up with one huge short. Plus, it also gives me more time to plan out how I want to develop a romantic relationship between Kuvira and Asami. It was easier to incorporate romance into my first Korvira short because Kuvira and Korra already had a connection. But with Kuvira and Asami...it'll be a slow-build, so expect some angst and that feeling you get when you're like 'just kiss already!'
> 
> Happy reading!

**Title:** Expectations

**Pairings:** Kuvirasami, past Korvira (one-sided)

**Universe:** Canon – post-Book 4

**Summary:** It had been over a year. She had had her time to grieve. But she knew she would never move on if she did not confront the person who had caused her all this pain. Asami Sato didn't know what to expect when she visited Kuvira for the first time, but giving Kuvira a second chance certainly wasn't one of those things.

**POV:** Third person omniscient though more focused on Asami

**Rating:** T

**Trigger warning:** Mention of self-harm

* * *

" _You'll discover that real love is millions of miles past falling in love with anyone or anything. When you make that one effort to feel compassion instead of blame or self-blame, the heart opens again and opening."_ – _Sara Paddison_

She didn't know what to say to Korra. She was frozen in place, just staring out at the Avatar and the other woman who had accompanied her today.

Once every week, Korra would visit her. No one else. Kuvira wasn't complaining about that. In fact, she was rather happy that none of the Beifongs had attempted to visit her. She wouldn't have known what to say or do. How could she explain her actions to them? How could she apologize? How could she expect forgiveness from them?

Korra was the only one who cared about her. The Avatar truly made an effort, and with a little time, she was able to forgive Kuvira. Of course, Korra would always remember what Kuvira had done. After all, Republic City was still rebuilding certain areas. But Korra let go of any anger or hatred towards Kuvira...if there had even been hatred to begin with...

But now, after all those visits, after all those late nights talking about random things until one of them fell asleep before the other, Kuvira felt betrayed. She knew she had no reason to feel this way. But to see Asami Sato standing there – the woman whose life she had destroyed – and to know that Korra willingly brought her, knowing the pain it would cause Kuvira, the metal bender couldn't help but feel a flare of anger.

"Why is she here?" Kuvira got out. Her voice was raspy and, as it had almost always been since she was put into prison, into solitary confinement, into a dark cell where she was slowly beginning to lose the little sanity she had left.

"Kuvira..." Korra started, pausing as she carefully chose her words. "Let me explain. She wanted to come with me. I thought it might be a good idea to - ,"

"To what?" Kuvira cut off. "To put a living reminder of the lives I tore apart right in front of me? To torment me with seeing the face of the woman whose family I completely destroyed?"

"Kuvira, no...please just listen." Korra took a few steps so she was standing in front of Kuvira and rested her hands on the metal bender's shoulders. "She wants to talk to you. She's been trying hard but...part of her still isn't over it."

Korra used the small moment being so close to Kuvira to give the metal bender a once over. She knew that since Kuvira was in solitary confinement, she wouldn't run into any trouble with the other inmates of the prison. But still...Kuvira was clever; she found ways to punish herself...

"I haven't done anything...if that's what you're wondering," Kuvira muttered as she easily noticed Korra's eyes her body for any sign of physical harm.

The Avatar nodded. "Okay...just making sure."

"Will you be in here with me?"

"No. This is something you two need to handle," Korra responded.

Kuvira nodded to show her understanding, and she glanced over Korra's shoulder at Asami. Already, she felt the tears in her eyes. But even though her vision was slightly by her tears, she could clearly make out the disdain written across Asami's face.

Korra left the room pretty quickly. Yes, she knew this was an issue Asami and Kuvira needed to address alone, but at the same time she also just didn't want to be present for the first meeting between the two women. She could already feel the tension between them once she brought Asami into the room. She could only imagine what would be said between them once she walked away.

* * *

 

"Why...Why are you here?" Kuvira got out softly, trying to hold back a cry before she quickly avoided her eyes from Asami's.

Neither woman had moved once Korra left. Kuvira stayed positioned behind the small table in her room, and Asami stayed put by the door. It wasn't just tense. It was something entirely different. Kuvira could actually feel all the silent, unspoken emotions coming from Asami. The sadness, the pain, the anger, the hatred...Kuvira could sense it all.

"Korra told you...I wanted to talk," Asami said back. Her voice was cold, unwavering, and it sent a chill down Kuvira's spine. Asami took a seat on the opposite side of the table, her green eyes hard and expressionless as she looked back at Kuvira.

"What is there to talk about? I...I killed..." Kuvira never finished her sentence. She nearly broke into tears at the thought. With Asami here now, she was reminded of what she truly was: a murderer.

Not only that, but she had taken away the last piece of Asami's family. She knew about what had happened to Asami's mother. She knew how much Hiroshi mattered to Asami. Even after he was thrown in jail for joining the Equalists, she knew Asami still cared about him. No matter how much Asami might have hated him for what he had done, Kuvira knew that Asami still loved him. Deep down, Asami needed Hiroshi, because he was the only family she had left.

"I-I didn't even know..." Kuvira. She was falling into her own mind. The voices inside her head that tormented her most nights during her imprisonment were quickly surfacing. And they were destroying her. "I-I thought it was just...you and Varrick. I didn't even know...he was out of prison. I didn't find out until...until Korra told me..."

"It doesn't excuse the fact that you _murdered_ my dad!" Asami shot back. There was emotion in her eyes now. But Kuvira didn't see any pain or hurt now. There was only pure anger and hatred. "You just killed him and kept going! Do you have any idea what that did to me?! He was all I had left, and you just - ,"

"And do you know what it did to _me_?!" Kuvira cried, looking back into Asami's eyes now, her own filled with tears, guilt, and pleading for something she knew she would never receive from Asami. "You shouldn't have to know what it's like to live without both of your parents! You shouldn't have to know what it's like to live without people who are supposed to love you unconditionally! Who are supposed to care about you no matter what! And I-I took that away from you..."

"Do you really expect me to care about how you're feeling?" Asami said, keeping her voice as steady as possible as she glanced away from Kuvira. The metal bender's words got to her, but she would never let it show. "You _should_ feel guilty about it. You _should_ realize what you've done. I refuse to pity your own feelings, because I know that - ,"

"I don't want your pity. I just want you to listen," Kuvira said, her voice softer now and she kept her eyes trained on the floor. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I just expect you to try to understand..."

Asami sat in silence for a few minutes. She steadied her breathing, cleared her thoughts, and tried to formulate something to say. Quite frankly: She couldn't.

She had expected Kuvira to be emotionless about the subject. After all, she had watched as Kuvira blasted her spirit canon through Republic City, incinerating anyone in its path and not even blinking an eye at the destruction she had caused. She had seen the ruthless dictator murder innocent people and hurt the ones closest to her.

But now, Asami did not see the Great Uniter. Instead, she just saw Kuvira. She saw a woman in front of her, beaten and broken by her own mistakes. She saw a woman tormented by her own thoughts of the horrible things she had done.

Still though, forgiveness would not come that easily. Kuvira had killed Hiroshi. He was all Asami had left. Sure, she had Korra and Mako and Bolin and plenty of other people who cared about her immensely. But a parent's love is different. A parent's love for their child is an indescribable bond that can never be broken even through death. But still...Asami had just managed to forgive her father, only to have him torn away from her.

And as much as Asami wanted to say something, do something to Kuvira to beat her down again, to make her feel like nothing, like her heart was being torn out of her chest, to make her feel the way she had felt when she watched her father die...she couldn't.

"If you had known my father was in that hummingbird suit with me...would you have still killed him?" It was all Asami could manage. Her thoughts were so jumbled, so distraught...and right now, the only thing she was truly motivated about was proving to herself that Kuvira wasn't the monster she thought she was.

Kuvira sat down across from Asami, and the young engineer could see the thought displayed on Kuvira's face. She noticed the way Kuvira's eyes darkened as she thought, the way the metal bender's muscles tensed slightly as she tried to think of the right words to say. After a few moments of tense silence, Kuvira spoke up.

"I can't tell you what I would have done. Back then...that was the Great Uniter. And she was so caught up in her goal of uniting the entire Earth Kingdom that she would have let nothing stand in her way. But I can tell you that I, Kuvira, am sitting in front of you now, and if Kuvira had known your father was in that suit with you, she would never have killed him.

"She would have found another way to stop him, because she knew how you lost your mother. She knew how much Hiroshi meant to you despite some of the things he had done in the past. She knew that he was the only family you had left. Because Kuvira was abandoned by her parents at a young age, and she grew up never knowing what a parent's love truly was, she would have never wanted you to suffer that pain too. But the Great Uniter distanced herself from that pain. Pushing it to the back of her mind made it easier to move forward with her plans.

"But the Great Uniter was stopped. By you. By Korra. By your friends. Kuvira was left behind once the Great Uniter was destroyed. And that's the woman sitting in front of you right now, Asami. I'm Kuvira...not the Great Uniter. And as Kuvira, I can tell you that what I did to you, the pain I caused you, has haunted me ever since I found out your father was in that hummingbird suit with you. And I can also tell you that I don't expect any forgiveness from you, because I don't even think I'll be able to forgive myself."

* * *

 

"So...how did it go?" Korra asked tentatively. She had stayed close to Kuvira's room just in case, and she had heard the yelling that followed not even two seconds after she left. But after a little while she didn't hear any yelling or...anything that would suggest either woman had tried to kill each other, so she was able to relax. But still, she was worried about both Kuvira's and Asami's mental state following this meeting.

Asami hesitated a little, trying to find the right words to describe the extreme rollercoaster of emotions she had just experienced.

"It...actually went better than I had expected," is what she finally settled on.

* * *

 

"I didn't know she was abandoned," Asami said.

She had been talking about her meeting with Kuvira for the last hour with Korra, and now she finally brought up the topic that actually got to her. It shocked and confused her that she actually had something in common with Kuvira. Asami always thought that when she saw Kuvira in prison, the metal bender would still be the same crazed sociopath she had seen in Republic City. But in reality, Kuvira was just as vulnerable as Asami.

"How could you have known? I never told you, and the fact that she willingly opened up to you like that tells me that she must find some level of trust in you," Korra answered, giving Asami a soft smile.

"Why would she trust me?"

"Because she wants your forgiveness. Even though she might not admit it, and even though she'll tell you otherwise, if you forgive her it will help her to forgive herself."

"I just...I'm still confused..." Asami mumbled, and she glanced down to the floor in thought.

"About what?"

"About why she did what she did."

"Then maybe you should ask her."

* * *

 

Kuvira wasn't expecting Asami to return two weeks later. The young CEO of Future Industries had every right to hate Kuvira for the rest of her life. Asami had every right to get whatever revenge on Kuvira she wanted to. And in all honesty, Kuvira was disappointed that she would probably never see Asami again until she got out of prison...and that was still another long twenty-four years to go.

Kuvira flinched slightly when the large platinum door to her room was opened.

"Kuvira...you have a visitor," the guard said.

_But Korra already visited me yesterday...I don't understand why anyone else would – oh..._

"Uh...Asami...you um, you're here again..."

Kuvira had no idea why she was so flustered all of a sudden. Sure, her history with Asami wasn't so good, but not even Korra had this effect on her. There was something so intimidating about Asami. She had the appearance and confidence that would demand the attention of anyone she met. And she certainly had Kuvira's.

"Yeah...I realized that our last meeting together was sort of all over the place," Asami said. Her voice didn't carry the same chilling, distant tone like it had the last time. It was softer, safer, and almost sounded apologetic. "I guess I'm still confused about...everything you did. I remember meeting you when Korra first came to Zao Fu. You were so...mellow and easygoing. I just never would have expected..."

"I get your confusion," Kuvira replied. "In a way, I'm still confused about everything that happened too. I just wanted to help my people. I had enough influence. People respected me enough. I just – I got too caught up in what my ending goal was. For me, the ends justified the means. I know it shouldn't have been that way. But I guess that's what happens when you give someone a little too much power than they're used to."

Asami was left speechless, and this wasn't the first time Kuvira had had that effect on her. Even though Kuvira's voice sounded tired and broken in a way, Asami would never fail to be captured by the metal bender whenever she spoke. Kuvira was intelligent, insightful, and honest with her words, and it always struck a chord in Asami to hear Kuvira continue to sound confident with what she was saying.

"Has Suyin visited you? Or...anyone...from the Beifong family?" Asami asked suddenly. She knew it was random, but she really couldn't think of anything to say back to what Kuvira had just told her.

Kuvira glanced up at Asami, her eyes meeting Asami's slightly darker shade of green than her own. Asami sensed that Kuvira was silently asking her _'Why do you care?'_ And if Asami could actually manage to form a coherent thought in her head right now, she would have replied with _'Because I think I might actually care about you.'_

"Um...Opal actually visited a few days after you came here for the first time," Kuvira replied before she looked away from Asami. By the short answer Kuvira gave, Asami could tell this wasn't something Kuvira wanted to talk about.

The young engineer could see the pain in Kuvira's eyes no matter how well the metal bender tried to hide it. Asami had been there before – hiding her pain behind an expressionless mask, so she had gotten pretty good at reading people's eyes over the years.

"Sorry..." Asami started. "I didn't mean to...bring up something you don't want to think about. It's just that after everything you had with Baatar Jr. and...ya know..."

"You want to ask something else, so just go for it."

"Did you just string him along? Or did you actually love him?"

There. She said it. Asami could understand Kuvira's strained relationship with Suyin, but Baatar Jr. didn't make any sense. They were engaged after all. And whether Kuvira loved him or not, Asami still would never understand why Kuvira chose to fire that spirit canon at all of them.

"Trust me, Asami...I did love him. Just...not in the way he loved me. So I guess it was a little of both," Kuvira answered honestly. "I recognized that he had strong feelings for me, so I sort of played along. I knew his intelligence would be useful later on. Plus, he did have the same feelings about wanting to stabilize the Earth Kingdom as I did, so I sort of assumed he would come with me anyway.

"I honestly wasn't expecting him to ask me to marry him, but when he did...turning him down at that point wouldn't have been a good option. Baatar was smart; he would have guessed that something was wrong."

"But...for him to have asked...you two must have been something in Zao Fu?"

"Yes, we went out on dates and did things normal couples would do. But I don't know what I did for him to have those feelings for me. I mean, we really didn't do anything too romantic with each other..."

"Well...you happen to be a very manipulative person," Asami said, and she immediately regretted to words once they left her mouth.

Kuvira just raised an eyebrow at Asami, her lips remaining in a firm line.

"So you're saying I manipulated him into falling for me?" the metal bender returned, keeping her eyes on Asami.

"N-No...I didn't mean it like that. It's just that...you're...well, you can be very charming when you want to, so I'm sure that - ,"

"Oh, so now you think I'm charming?" Kuvira was having more fun with this than she thought she would. Even though she didn't come into contact with Asami that much during the engineer's time in Zao Fu or during her campaign, she still had never seen Asami so flustered before. It was funny to see, so Kuvira continued. "Ya know...that is a common trait in sociopaths. They're extremely charming and can mirror the personalities of those around them to get what they want. Would you say I fit into this category?"

Asami couldn't manage to look at Kuvira. She was too busy trying to hide the blush coming to her cheeks and to stifle a laugh. She shouldn't be letting Kuvira have this effect on her. She shouldn't find something Kuvira says funny in any way. This was her father's murderer. She shouldn't laugh. Instead, she should still be angry. But for some reason Asami just couldn't find it in herself to project any rage towards Kuvira in this moment.

"I don't think you're a sociopath," is what Asami finally settled on.

"Did you think I was while I was the Great Uniter?" Kuvira asked, and suddenly the air in the room was serious and solemn again.

_Funny how things can change so quickly with a small shift of topic,_ Asami thought. _Well...not funny as in 'ha-ha' funny...just, a confusing, ironic funny, I guess._

Asami shook her head. "Honestly, I didn't. I won't lie, I did think you were crazy for a little while though. But eventually, I just saw that you were misguided. Your goals and ideals were morally good, but your actions to get there weren't. I think part of that reason is because you were young, Kuvira...and you still are. You're...what, almost twenty-three, right?" Kuvira nodded.

"So we're the same age," Asami continued. "You were a little young to be the dictator of an entire kingdom, and I was a little young to be a CEO of the biggest company in all the nations. But the difference was that you didn't have any elders to guide you. You were on your own. I wasn't. I had plenty of people to help me out.

"Of course, this doesn't excuse any of your actions. Nothing does. But...I guess it does help me to see things from your perspective a little more."

Kuvira lifted her head at this, her eyes meeting Asami's in another rare moment in which the two women tried to communicate without any words. Unfortunately, it didn't work out too well for either of them, and after a few more moments of silence, Asami spoke up again.

"I was just...so closed-minded to how this affected you, Kuvira. It wasn't like me. I'm usually the person to try and understand others so I can understand their actions. And for some reason, I didn't do that with you. Maybe it was because of what you did to me emotionally. Losing my father so quickly took a toll on me, and I must admit part of me is still getting over his death.

"But after I first visited you, I knew I was approaching this all wrong. I shouldn't be angry at you. I shouldn't hate you. I shouldn't - ,"

"You have every right to hate me," Kuvira interrupted, keeping her eyes on Asami. Her expression had softened a little with Asami's words. She never expected the young CEO to show her any compassion at all, but Asami proved her otherwise. "Asami, what I did to you is unforgivable, and I don't blame you if you never - ,"

"I want to forgive you, Kuvira."

"Wha-but, you can't possibly mean that. I'm not even expecting you to - ,"

"Everything about our meetings so far has been pretty unpredictable, unexpected, don't you think?" Asami glanced to Kuvira with slightly quizzical eyes. "I came here wanting to lash out at you. I came here thinking I could get some kind of revenge on you and make you feel the pain I felt that day. But once I saw you, I realized that you had already done that to yourself. You mentally tortured yourself for over a year, and part of me still thinks you do. And no matter how horrible some of your actions were, no matter how angry I am about what you did to me... _no one_ should have to suffer that pain."

"How can you forgive me when I can't even forgive myself?" Kuvira got out, her voice cracking slightly at the end as she tried her hardest to hold in her tears. Korra was the only person who showed her compassion after what happened over a year ago. But now, here was Asami, letting Kuvira know that while the pain of losing her father was still there, she still wanted to make an effort to forgive Kuvira.

"I can imagine having someone with you on the road to forgiveness makes it a little easier...a little more bearable," Asami answered. "I know that Korra has helped you a lot. She tells me often about the improvements you've made with you mentality about certain things. I want to help too. It won't do either of us any good if I just sit here with any rage or hatred I might still hold towards you. I need to get over this, and so do you. We can only do that together."

Kuvira sat in silence, swinging her legs a little over the edge of the small bed in her room. She took the time to think about what Asami had said to her. She almost didn't believe it. And now it was her turn to be left speechless.

Asami waited for a response. In fact, she was kind of expecting one. But then again, everything with Kuvira so far had turned out exactly the _opposite_ of what she had expected. And Asami was so caught up in her anticipation, her expectation for a response, that she nearly missed the soft 'thank you' from Kuvira.

* * *

 

It had been two weeks since Asami's last visit with Kuvira. Asami had wanted to go last week with Korra, but the infrastructure project she was working on had kept her from doing much outside of it. But she hit a road block recently with the project.

Some of the larger buildings that had been destroyed during Kuvira's trek through Republic City over a year ago still needed to be rebuilt. Asami had found a way to make the buildings stronger and able to withhold more force. She wanted to reinforce the buildings with huge pillars of metal running through the foundation. The great part about this is that the metal beams would keep the building standing longer. People on her work force argued that a metal bender could just destroy the foundation if they wanted to, but that was not the case. The beams of metal being used to support these buildings were so tall and so dense, it took a team of ten metal benders to establish the first one.

And that's when another idea came to Asami. She wanted to get this project done within the next six months or so, and she would need much stronger metal benders than the ones she had now. Of course, she knew no one in her work force would approve of the idea, but if she had Korra's support with it, then maybe she would be able to pull some strings to make it happen.

* * *

 

"You want to get Kuvira out of prison?"

Asami glanced around nervously to make sure no passerby on the street might have heard Korra's outburst of shock.

"Shhhh! No one else can know about this," Asami said, her tone a little harsh.

"Okay, okay...sorry! It's just – okay, I like Kuvira, I really do, but do you honestly think you can pull something like that? Trust me, I'd love to have Kuvira out in Ba Sing Se and other Earth Kingdom towns to help me stabilize things, but the people...they'll never trust her that much."

Asami let out a soft breath and nodded. She knew it would be tough, but it was worth a shot.

"Look Korra, I really need some more help with this infrastructure project I'm doing. The metal benders that Suyin sent over from Zao Fu are good, but they aren't strong or skilled enough to get the job done in the time frame I need them to," Asami said back.

"And you think Kuvira will miraculously help that problem?"

"Yeah, I actually do. I've seen her before; I know she's probably one of the best metal benders in the world. And plus, I can't just watch her go insane in prison for the next twenty something years. She wants to help, and she certainly can't do anything in solitary confinement."

Korra raised an eyebrow at Asami before a playful smirk came to her face. She gave Asami a small nudge in her side before a light snicker escaped her.

"What?"

"I totally get it now," Korra said, trying to hold back her laughter. "You care about her."

"Wha-okay, I mildly care about her," Asami shot back.

"Hm...nah. I think you care about her a little more than that," Korra teased.

"What are you trying to say here?"

"You like her."

Now it was Asami's turn to raise an eyebrow at Korra. She folded her arms over her chest and kept her eyes on the Avatar. She was not giving in with this one.

"As in...you _like_ like her," Korra elaborated. "As in...you have - ,"

"I know what you're getting at!" Asami snapped, but she wasn't able to hold in a soft laugh. "But for the record...you're wrong. I _kind of_ care about Kuvira. I'm still working on forgiving her for what she did to me, but that doesn't mean I won't give her another chance. I mean, that's what you did. You forgave her and saw the good in her, right?"

Korra wasn't necessarily expecting Asami's question, and if it weren't for her darker skin color, Korra would have been beet red right now. But, the change in Korra's demeanor did not go unnoticed by Asami.

"Um...yeah...well, I just...saw that we were a lot alike and...I don't know. I knew she wasn't a bad person," Korra got out, tripping over her words the whole time.

And now, again, it was Asami's turn to tease Korra.

"Oh my goodness...you totally had a crush on her," she said, grinning at a now extremely flustered Korra.

"I did not!" Korra said back quickly. "I just...we talked a lot and I helped her out with things and...we're friends, okay? Just friends..."

Asami's expressions softened a little as she rested her hand on Korra's shoulder. "Hey...it's fine. I'm not...judging you for it or anything. I mean, it's just a little weird to think about because, ya know, you two did try to kill each other on multiple occasions, and here you are having crushes on each other."

" _I_ had a crush on _her_...she never knew about it."

"Oh...well uh, at least you two are still close."

Korra nodded, and her mood quickly became more smug as she lifted her head to look at Asami. "I guess both of us have a thing for wickedly attractive, murderous, metal bending dictators then," she teased.

Asami couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks. "Korra...will you please stop with that? I told you, I just care about Kuvira. I can see that she wants to help, so I'm going to try and make that happen for her. This in no way means I have a crush on her."

Korra just rolled her eyes and gave Asami a playful shove. "Okay 'Sami. Whatever you say. But if you do manage to get Kuvira out of prison for the time you need her to work on this infrastructure thing, I wouldn't be surprised if, after a month or two, you come to me saying you want to ask her out."

* * *

 

Asami had tried for nearly three straight weeks to convince the guards at the prison to let Kuvira work on her infrastructure project. She asked every guard there. She kept track; and every one of them declined her request. They all thought it was too dangerous. They were all sure that Kuvira would try and escape or something crazy like that. Asami, of course, knew none of this was realistic thinking. Kuvira was way beyond the whole Great Uniter phase. Now, she just wanted to prove to the people of Republic City and the Earth Kingdom that she could be trusted. Her helping out with something like this was the first step in that process.

"Sir, I understand your concern, but Avatar Korra and I have been able to spend a lot of time with Kuvira, and we know she wouldn't do anything to put others in jeopardy anymore," Asami told one of the guards. She had already asked him last week, but she figured she would try her luck again.

"Miss Sato, I know how important this job is to you, but we cannot let a high-risk prisoner like Kuvira out," the guard said back.

"Yes, this job is extremely important, which is why I need Kuvira's skill." Asami was trying so hard not to lose her patience and just bust Kuvira out of the prison herself. "Suyin sent her best metal benders over from Zao Fu, but Kuvira is stronger than all of them. With her helping out, I can get this done in the time frame I've set."

The guard thought about Asami's words. He had declined her the previous week, but he was beginning to think that maybe he could grant Asami this one request.

"I-I'll have to think more about it," he answered. "I'll talk to a few other guys. Maybe we can arrange something."

"Thank you," Asami said. She was shocked to say the least. But she wouldn't let the guard know that. She had to keep her confidence and let him know that of course she would get her way with this. "Can I see Kuvira now?"

The guard nodded, and he escorted Asami past the rest of the regular inmate cells to the back of the prison where Kuvira's solitary confinement cell was.

Once she stepped into the room, Asami couldn't help the small smile that came to her face when she was greeted by Kuvira's eyes. They were stunning. A slightly darker shade of green than her own. And Asami found herself thinking that maybe she could get used to looking into Kuvira's eyes.

"Hey," Kuvira said, now sitting cross-legged on her bed. "You usually don't come for another couple days."

"I had to talk to one of the guards so I figured I would just drop by."

"About what?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow, her way of telling Asami that she wouldn't take any excuses to get around the real reason she was talking with a guard.

"Well...I'm working on this huge infrastructure project for a few larger buildings. I'm reinforcing them with huge metal slabs and beams, and the metal benders I have aren't necessarily the most efficient. So I'm trying to find a way to get you out of here whenever I need you to help work on the project," Asami answered.

"Wait...you can do that?"

"I'm Asami Sato; I can do whatever I want."

"Okay, whoa there...don't get your ego bloated. Last time I let that happen to me I tried to take over the entire Earth Kingdom and destroy Republic City with a giant spirit canon," Kuvira said. Her tone was half joking and half serious, and Asami didn't know whether she should laugh or not, so she just settled on a soft smile.

"Well...I'm just saying...I can probably get the guards to agree considering this is a project that benefits Republic City. I mean, we're reinforcing a few of the tallest buildings in the city. I need a metal bender with your skill and strength to sort of...push these other people along."

Kuvira nodded in understanding, her eyes never leaving Asami's. "I'll help you if they let this happen. I know it'll certainly give a boost to my own mental health. I now understand why so many people go crazy in prison."

"Well you are in solitary confinement with limited visitation rights. I can't imagine that helps."

"It makes it a lot worse," Kuvira admitted. "It gets rough sometimes...just alone with my thoughts. A lot of times I wish either you or Korra could just stay here constantly with me. At least then I would feel a little more tethered to some sense of sanity. And I wouldn't feel so alone..."

Asami felt her cheeks heat up slightly at Kuvira's confession about wishing she would stay, and she had to tilt her head down a little to hide her blush.

She knew she shouldn't be feeling this way about Kuvira, about the woman who had murdered her father. But Asami also knew that time passed and people changed. Clearly, she could see that Kuvira was a different person now. Kuvira regretted her decisions, and the only reason she had done what she had was because she didn't have any guidance and because she was given too much power than she knew how to handle. Kuvira wasn't a crazed sociopath like so many people still thought now. Kuvira was just a vulnerable human being with a rocky past and a lot of regrets, just like everyone else in the world. Asami recognized this.

So sure, maybe Asami was developing a friendship-but-still-keeping-at-a-fair-distance sort of thing with Kuvira. But there were moments like these when Asami couldn't help but think that maybe Korra was right.

Maybe there was something drawing her to Kuvira a little more every day.

* * *

 

It took two weeks for the prison to approve Asami's request to take Kuvira out to help with the infrastructure project. Asami had had to try her hardest to contain her happiness in front of the guards when they told her, but she was able to do it. It was only when she went to see Kuvira to tell the metal bender the news did she break her composure.

"It worked!" Asami exclaimed once she entered Kuvira's room. "They said you can help!"

"Wow...really?" Kuvira's eyes lit up at the thought, and even though she wasn't necessarily smiling, Asami had never seen the metal bender look so happy in all the times she had visited Kuvira in the past month. "That's amazing Asami. I-I can't believe they're actually allowing this."

"Well...of course they're taking precautions. You'll need to wear a platinum wrist band that tracks your location. They're still nervous you'll try something, but I trust you. I know you wouldn't."

"And face the wrath of Asami Sato? I wouldn't dare," Kuvira said back, and she couldn't help the smug grin that came to her face.

It almost infuriated Asami – both emotionally and, dare she say even sexually – how Kuvira could pull that kind of grin like they had been friends for years. Yes, they were moving in the right direction with each other, but Asami wouldn't say they were 'best pals' quite yet.

"But really...I don't know how to properly thank you for this," Kuvira continued, her expression softer now as their eyes met. "I-I never thought I would actually get a chance to prove myself to the people of Republic City. I never thought I would actually be able to help clean up the mess I created. But you're making all of that possible now. So thank you..."

Kuvira looked at Asami and smiled. It was real. It was genuine. And Asami had never seen a smile so beautiful before. And knowing she was the one able to make Kuvira smile like that pulled a little at Asami's heart.

* * *

 

"Come on guys! We need to get this beam up by eight tonight!" Asami yelled to the workers in the construction zone.

She had two groups of metal benders. Kuvira was with one of them. The other metal benders were skeptical about having the former Great Uniter work with them, but once they saw that she drastically improved the speed at which they got things done, they were glad to have her working with their team.

In fact, Kuvira's group already had their beam up, and a couple members of the group were working on straightening out the top of it.

"Seems like you held up well there," Asami commented to Kuvira as the metal bender grabbed a drink of water.

"I guess. I'm a little out of practice considering there was no metal in prison, but it feels good to be doing something productive with my time now," Kuvira responded.

"I'm glad to have you out here. Maybe you can give the other group some help. Because if someone doesn't, we'll be here all night, and I'm not exaggerating."

"Yes ma'am, Sato," Kuvira said back before heading over to the other team of metal benders.

Once Kuvira joined the work team a couple weeks ago, their progress increased immensely. They were able to finish setting up the foundation for one of the buildings, and now they were on to the second one. They only had two more, and Asami was positive they could get it done within the time frame she had set. They had another two and a half months to finish all of it, and judging by the progress so far, it would take them another couple weeks to finish this building's foundation.

Kuvira wasn't allowed to stay out at night, so Asami had to return Kuvira to the prison before ten every night. Asami didn't mind. In fact, she enjoyed it. It allowed her more time to spend with Kuvira, more time getting to know the metal bender, and more time to continue building a friendship with her.

"Well...you have a nice view."

Asami shook her head a little to clear her thoughts, and she looked up to wherever the voice was coming from. She was met with the bright blue eyes belonging to Korra. Asami gave a small smile to her best friend.

"Oh yes, because a construction site is absolutely breathtaking," Asami said back, rolling her eyes.

"I didn't mean that 'Sami; I mean _that_..." Korra nodded and pointed as discretely as she could – if Korra even had a definition of discrete – towards Kuvira's direction.

Asami just rolled her eyes yet again.

"You're honestly gonna tell me you haven't looked her way once this whole time?" Korra continued.

"Of course I've watched her a few times. I kind of have to keep an eye on her...for...safety reasons..." Asami trailed off. _Why don't I just dig a hole in the ground and jump into it right now? Jeez...I'm never this obvious with my feelings,_ Asami thought, mentally slapping herself.

"Mhmm...keep telling yourself that," Korra teased.

"Oh my goodness. If you're trying to get me to admit that I checked Kuvira out at least once, it's not going to happen. Besides, that's extremely unprofessional. She's technically an employee of mine," Asami said with a small huff.

"Well...speaking of the eye candy so luckily bestowed upon you..." Korra nodded to Kuvira who was walking their way.

"Hey Asami," Kuvira started. "So, the beam is up. We can start on the third one tomorrow...and hey, Korra...nice to see you here."

"You too Kuvira," Korra replied. "I'm glad Asami was able to get you out for this. I can tell you're happier already."

Kuvira nodded and a small but genuine smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Yes...like I told Asami, it feels really good to do something productive now."

"Keep up the good work. I'll see you in a couple days," Korra said, standing up from the bench she and Asami were seated on. "In the meantime, I'm going to Air Temple Island to do some meditation with Jinora."

"Have fun," Asami said back, grinning playfully at Korra.

"No, no, Asami... _you_ have fun," Korra responded, shooting Asami an equally playful grin as well as a knowing wink.

Asami rolled her eyes in response before she turned her attention back to Kuvira. "It's just past nine," she said to the metal bender. "Which means you have about an hour until I need to get you back for the night. You must be starving though..."

"Yeah...I am a little hungry. I didn't have a lot for lunch," Kuvira answered honestly.

Asami knew she would probably be stepping over some sort of imaginary line between friendship and potentially something more, but at this point she didn't care. She already knew she was in too deep. So she might as well just go for it.

"In that case...can I take you out for dinner?"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know, I know...not that much happened. But this was necessary for a good foundation for the next part/continuation of this. It gives a good lead-in for me to develop a more romantic relationship between Kuvira and Asami. I imagine the second part will be longer since it will be more involved, and I will focus an equal amount of narration time of Asami and Kuvira as this one was more Asami-based third person.
> 
> Still...I think I was able to get enough emotions in there to imply that Asami is still cautious about trusting Kuvira, but at the same time she wants to because she's really unknowingly falling for Kuvira (and trust me, the same thing is happening with Kuvira).
> 
> So in your review, leave any suggestions/things you would like to see for the continuation of this!
> 
> Happy reading and ship Kuvirasami k thanks ;)
> 
> \- A


	11. For Good

**Title:** For Good

**Pairing:** Kuvirasami

**Universe:** Canon post-Book 4

**Summary:** A continuation of "Expectations." Asami still struggles with completely forgiving Kuvira even after over a year of visiting the metal bender in prison, and her road towards forgiveness is made even harder once she figures out that she may have stronger feelings for Kuvira than she might have thought.

**Rating:** M for language, sexual situations and implications

**Point of view:** Third person omniscient

**Trigger warning(s):** Mentions of self-harm, suicide attempt, abusive relationship, and mental instability

**A/N: A timeline to keep you all in the know…this would be a little over two years after Book 4. So, if you're someone who likes to keep track of the ages of characters (I know I do), Kuvira would be 25, and Asami would be 26 at the start of this short.**

**So, Kuvira and Asami try to come to terms with their feelings for each other, they try to start a relationship with each other, things don't go as planned, and Korra has to help out. Also, Korra really loves teasing Kuvira and Asami about their relationship.**

**Also, there will be a** _**large** _ **time jump in this short.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

" _Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." – Paul Boese_

Asami knew exactly when it started. She knew when she began looking at Kuvira differently. She knew when she started feeling more for the metal bender.

" _I need to get out of here Asami."_

" _You know they'll never let that happen."_

" _I'm going insane in here!"_

" _Kuvira…I was lucky they agreed to let me take you out to work on this project, but no one will ever even consider lessening your sentence."_

" _But people have seen me when I'm out with you. It's been almost ten months since I started working with you. Why can't they be convinced that it's better if I'm out helping others?"_

" _You hurt a lot of people Kuvira…many of them are happy to see you in jail, to see you losing you mind."_

" _Do you?"_

" _What?"_

" _Do you feel happier when you see me in here?"_

_Asami hesitated with her response. On one hand, she_ did _feel better when she saw Kuvira in prison. It's what the metal bender deserved for what she did to Republic City. In fact, Asami knew Kuvira got lucky. If it were up to anyone else, Kuvira would have been executed the moment she was captured. But because Suyin had handled Kuvira's sentence, Asami knew the matriarch of Zao Fu wouldn't let that happen to her. Despite how much Suyin claimed to hate Kuvira, Asami knew that the older woman still cared about the former Great Uniter._

" _Honestly…the first couple times I visited you…I did. You had destroyed so many lives. I was glad to see that you got the punishment you deserved. But after a few weeks, I saw how you were suffering. You were beating yourself up for everything you had done. It was taking a toll on you. And like I told you many times, no one should suffer in their own mind like that, especially when they don't really have anyone to help them through it."_

Asami had already told Korra that she cared about Kuvira, but that moment was when she indirectly told Kuvira the same thing. It wasn't supposed to happen. Maybe Kuvira would try to take advantage of her if she knew Asami cared about her. But it had been two and a half months since that day, and nothing had happened since that would give anything like that away.

Asami knew she was going down a dangerous path. What she was forming with Kuvira…it was something toxic. It was something that would only hurt both of them in the end. And as she walked across the pavilion of Air Temple Island to see Korra, she knew she might already be in too deep. She knew that she couldn't go back now.

"Hey Asami." Korra greeted Asami with her usual lopsided grin and a small hug. "Haven't seen you in a few days…been pretty busy I'm assuming?"

"Yeah…now that the taller buildings have been rebuilt, we're trying to figure out how to reconstruct some of the homes that were destroyed. Since there are spirit vines nearly everywhere in some areas of the city, it's been hard to consolidate living space for the people who lost their homes."

"Jeez…that must be rough," Korra said, shaking her head a little as she looked out across the bay to the still broken skyline of Republic City. "But uh…how are things with you and Kuvira?"

"About that…it's complicated," Asami answered, a soft breath escaping her. "I can't figure out what's going on."

"I'm sure I can help. Let's be real here, I fell for Kuvira first, so I'm pretty sure I'll know what you're dealing with," Korra said back, leaning on the stone railing and giving Asami a smile full of pride. The non-bender just laughed softly in return.

"Okay…I never said I was falling for Kuvira…because I'm not."

Denial was the first step for Asami. Korra easily saw through her best friend. The Avatar knew that Asami was developing stronger feelings for Kuvira by the day. But she wasn't going to push Asami. Korra knew that Asami needed to figure this out in her own time. Of course, Korra knew it wouldn't be too long. After all, she _was_ going to bring this up with Kuvira the next time she saw the metal bender.

"Well, you must have _some_ kind of feelings for her, otherwise, you wouldn't be trying to talk to me about them."

Asami let out a sigh of defeat and glanced out over the water for a moment. "You're right. But I can't figure out what these feelings are. Like, I get that she's attractive but - ,"

"Damn right. Kuvira is hot as fuck."

Asami shot a pointed glare at Korra, the Avatar instantly drawing into herself and avoiding eye contact with the non-bender. She had just tried to lighten the mood a little, but obviously, that attempt backfired.

"Sorry…"

"Anyway," Asami continued, "I'm just confused about…whether or not I care about her…like, in a more than friend's way…"

"Honestly…I think you do," Korra said, resting a hand on Asami's shoulder. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have gone out of your way to make her happier. I mean, think about it; you convinced the prison to let her out so she could help you with that infrastructure project, and now you're trying to get them to allow her to stay out at night with you so you can be with her more and sort of…I don't know, act as some kind of rock for her, someone she can count on. You wouldn't do all of that for her if you didn't feel something for her."

"I know…" Asami sighed out. "Spirits, I know you're right, Korra, but - ,"

"But she killed your dad," Korra finished.

Asami fell silent, her gaze dropping to the ground, and she let herself cave in a little to Korra's touch, letting the Avatar pull her into a hug.

"It-It's still hard for me to get over it," Asami whispered. "I just…I don't know how I can be feeling this way for a murderer…"

Korra pulled away, meeting Asami's eyes with her own. "Hey…you chose to see the good in Kuvira, just like I did. You chose to realize that she's not a bad person. You know her actions were misguided, and you know how much she regrets it. You need to come to terms with your own feelings though."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Well…she's still allowed out until ten…so, ask her to dinner more often. Or…something normal like that. You just need to get to know _her._ "

* * *

Kuvira was in pain…so much pain. And it wasn't even physical.

The mental, psychological torture she had been enduring for the last few years had finally gotten to her. She had no idea why it was now. She had survived this long fighting off the voices in her head, but something just snapped inside her.

She knew what it was too. She was just too afraid to admit it.

Kuvira didn't want to face the truth: that she was falling hopelessly in love with Asami Sato. It was wrong… _so_ wrong. She had murdered Asami's dad. She had taken away the last piece of family Asami had. She was so desperate for forgiveness from the young CEO, but she had not asked for any of this along the way.

Maybe the voices got the better of her because they knew that she didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to have Asami in her life. She didn't deserve to have Asami care about her. She didn't deserve the efforts Asami was making so her prison sentence could be a little more bearable. And Kuvira knew that the voices were right. Asami should hate her. Asami should want some kind of revenge on her.

_Do you actually think she'll ever feel the same way about you?_

"I have to hold onto something…" Kuvira muttered.

_She's just doing this because Korra encouraged her to. If it were up to Asami, she would have never come in the first place._

"That's not true," Kuvira growled, her eyes narrowing a little now. "She came back after Korra brought her here. She came back because she _wanted_ to."

_Even if she did, she could never love you. She could never care about you the way you want her to._

"Stop it…you're lying," Kuvira answered, her hands balling into fists, her nails digging into her palms so hard that eventually she felt a small trickle of blood leak down her hand.

_Am I? Even you know it. You're holding on to this false hope that she'll miraculously return your feelings, but she never will. And you know why?_

"Don't…"

_Because you killed her father. You murdered the last person she had as family._

"Stop! She-She's trying to - ,"

_To forgive you? You think she'll actually manage that? She sees what you really are: a murderer, a monster, a heartless –_

"It's not true…I've changed! I'm not that person anymore!"

Her willpower was breaking. _She_ was breaking. It was never this bad. Usually, she was able to dismiss the voices in her head because she had hope. Every time Asami came back to see her, Kuvira was more hopeful that someday, the young CEO could forgive her.

_The Great Uniter will always be a part of you, and you know it. For the rest of your life, you'll have Hiroshi's death haunting you. The deaths of those innocent people you murdered will stay with you. And you'll never get the chance to make up for it, because no one will trust you again. No one will –_

"Stop…please…just stop…get out of my head!" Kuvira was crying now, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

_They all want you dead anyway. You should do them the favor already. Get it over with. The people will feel so much better if they know you're –_

"Fine!" Kuvira snapped.

She wasn't thinking clearly. But then again, had she ever thought clearly since the day she became the Great Uniter? She was going crazy from the moment she started uniting the Earth Kingdom.

She felt under her mattress until the tip of her finger nicked the edge of the platinum blade she had managed to pry off the razor. She was lucky she was able to have access to one. She guessed, after a certain amount of time, the guards trusted that she wouldn't try anything. Plus, it was only a razor. How much harm could she do with it?

"If it'll get you out of my head…" she growled.

_It's what everyone wants anyway. I'm surprised you didn't –_

"Shut up!" Kuvira yelled.

And it all happened so quickly. She didn't even feel any pain as the blade sliced through the skin on her wrists. But Kuvira just knew that once her vision went black, the voices stopped.

* * *

Asami went to the prison the next day, and her mood brightened already at the thought of seeing Kuvira. She had tried to keep her visits mostly to once a week. She figured if she went more than that her feelings might get the better of her and she would only become more confused.

"Miss Sato, I'm assuming you're here to see Kuvira?" one of the guards, Rana, asked. Asami actually grew fond of Rana once she started working as a guard a few weeks ago. She was about Asami's age, and she was one of the rare guards in the prison who still respected Kuvira. In fact, Rana was a metal bender who was trying to improve by studying Kuvira's methods.

"Yes, thank you," Asami said.

"I'm not sure if she can take visitors now," Rana answered, her gray eyes glancing away from Asami, and her expression fell slightly.

"Why not? Is something wrong?"

"She's in the infirmary. I'll have to check if she's stable enough - ,"

"Whoa…stable?" Asami narrowed her eyes and pushed past Rana, making her way down a different hallway towards the infirmary. "What happened to her?"

"Miss Sato, please, I don't think you should be - ,"

Rana stopped speaking once Asami threw open the door to the infirmary. Aside from Kuvira, there was only one other inmate there.

"I'd prefer to be alone with her…" Asami said, and Rana just nodded before she backed away, leaving Asami alone as she had asked.

Asami had seen Kuvira plenty of times in her prison room looking tired and beat up. But never had she seen the metal bender look this…broken.

"Kuvira?" Asami had no idea if Kuvira was just sleeping or if she was completely knocked out, but it was worth a shot. Besides, she didn't even know what happened to Kuvira. She couldn't see any physical signs of harm, and part of the reason was because of the long sleeved, hospital like gown Kuvira was in now.

The metal bender slowly opened her eyes, trying to fight through the high dosage of pain medication going through her at the moment. Her green eyes instantly lit up when she saw Asami, and she tried to smile as well, but only a lopsided grin made its way to her lips.

"Hey Asami…" she got out, her voice raspy and low due to her just waking up. Kuvira managed to sit up in the bed, a small groan escaping her from the amount of effort she needed to put into the action.

"Tired much?" Asami cracked her own grin, trying to lighten the mood a little as she took a seat in the chair next to Kuvira's bed.

"You could say that. I don't know what they gave me, but I wish I could take it every night. That stuff knocked me out cold," Kuvira answered.

Kuvira ran a hand through her hair, trying to smooth it out a little. And then Asami saw it. Kuvira's sleeve fell down her arm only a smidge, but it was enough for Asami to see the bandage on her wrist.

"Kuvira…can I see your other arm?"

"Just to clarify what you already know?"

Kuvira was looking back at Asami with her usual, infuriating (at least to Asami) smirk.

"I guess…" Kuvira eventually said, and she rolled up her other sleeve to show Asami another bandage – as she was expecting – on her left wrist.

"Please tell me you didn't…"

"Well, you know what they say: Don't trust a mentally unstable person with anything sharp."

"I don't think people actually say that, Kuvira."

"Well they do now, because I just said it." A soft laugh escaped Kuvira as she looked back to Asami, but the non-bender didn't even crack a grin. Instead, Kuvira was met with Asami's hard eyes.

"You think this is funny?"

"I never said it was. I'm just trying to - ,"

"No, Kuvira. You tried to…to…gosh, I can't even say it." Asami was pacing in front of Kuvira's bed now, and the metal bender was starting to get a little nervous. "What were you thinking?!" There were tears in Asami's eyes now. She didn't know why, but she knew there was nothing she could do to keep them from falling. "What happened? Were you just…bleeding out on the floor or something?! Do you know how lucky you are to still be alive right now?! Did you - ,"

"Asami…" Kuvira looked to the non-bender with pleading eyes now, her voice growing more desperate as well. "Asami…stop, please…"

"Do you think that no one values you anymore? Do you think people don't care about you?"

"Asami, stop!" Kuvira grabbed Asami's hand, her gaze intense now as their eyes met. "Just…please…stop. I-I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry…"

There was a long silence between them. Neither woman knew what to say to the other. But Asami knew one thing, and that was that she never wanted to let go of Kuvira's hand.

"They let me shower once every few days or so…" Kuvira went on softly. "Sometimes they give us platinum razors. I-I managed to get one of the blades out…they didn't even notice until they closed my door that one of the blades was missing. I was alone for…not even five minutes. I was bleeding…for only a few seconds. But still…I was so close…so close from getting away from everything. So close from escaping - ,"

"I could have lost you…"

It all happened so fast for Kuvira. She didn't know when, but all of a sudden Asami's arms were around her shoulders. And soon her own arms were wrapped around Asami's waist. She had never felt this before with anyone else. She had never felt so safe with someone the way she did now. Never before did Kuvira have the overwhelming feeling that she never wanted to let go of someone, but now she had that feeling.

"I'm sorry…" Kuvira whispered.

Asami shook her head as she pulled away, but only slightly, keeping their faces just a few inches apart.

"Don't apologize," Asami said back, her voice just as soft.

"I-I thought I didn't have anything to live for. No one cared about me. People wanted me dead anyway. I-I figured I would just - ,"

Kuvira stopped speaking the moment she felt Asami's hand on her cheek. Her breath caught in her throat. It was so sudden, so unexpected. Kuvira had no idea how to react.

"I care," Asami said, her voice only just above a whisper.

Kuvira just looked back Asami. She was at a loss for words. The pounding in her chest was almost unbearable, and for a moment she didn't see any of her surroundings. There was no infirmary bed, no pain medications, no prison, no bandages…no pain.

There was only Asami.

* * *

"So…you wanted to take me out for dinner?" Kuvira smirked a little when she saw the faint blush come to Asami's cheeks.

It had taken them a couple hours to settle down after Asami's initial shock and hurt from discovering that Kuvira had, in fact, tried to end her life the previous night. They had tried to make small talk with each other during that time; Kuvira had asked about the smaller infrastructure projects Asami was working on currently, and Asami had said that there might be an opportunity for Kuvira to help her out with one of them.

But those last couple hours had been awkward. Both women sensed it, but neither of them could voice their thoughts about it.

There was something between them now. Whether it was a friendship or a mutual affection for one another, they knew that they had crossed some sort of line with each other and that there was no going back from it.

But then Asami had given in, and she opened up a little about wanting to take Kuvira out for dinner. Of course, Kuvira instantly took it as an opportunity to mess with Asami.

"Like…a date maybe?" Kuvira continued, raising an eyebrow.

"Wha...where did you come up with that conclusion?" Asami said, narrowing her eyes a little as she tried to keep her composure about this.

"Well, the only times you took me out for a meal were after I was done working on that project you had me helping you with. If you wanted to take me out as a 'more than friends' thing…I figured you would have done it by now," Kuvira answered with a small shrug of her shoulders. "Just saying…plus, the way you're blushing right now isn't helping your situation."

Asami groaned and covered her face with her hands. It was true though. Even Asami could feel the heat coming from her cheeks.

"Okay, maybe it could have been a date. _Or…_ it could have been an opportunity to just…I don't know, start a closer friendship."

"Closer? Really…so how close would you say we are now? I mean, you just saw me mere hours after I tried to kill myself."

"You…are absolutely infuriating sometimes," Asami said, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "And don't joke about that. It's not funny," she added, her voice more stern now.

Kuvira managed to let out a small chuckle and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can be quite aggravating I suppose. And I'm sorry…"

Asami nodded and gave Kuvira a soft smile. "It's okay. I just want you to know that it has more of an effect on me than you might think. I do care about you, ya know," she said, pausing before she continued, directing the conversation back to taking Kuvira out for dinner. "But if you suggested that me taking you for dinner would be a date then that only tells me that's what you were hoping for in the first place," Asami said, and now it was her turn to smirk at the metal bender.

"Um…well…it's just that…" Kuvira huffed out in frustration and looked away from Asami. "Fine…you got me. Happy now?"

"I guess…I think it's sweet though." Asami smiled once Kuvira looked back at her.

They fell into a comfortable silence, both women just enjoying being in the others' company. It was a different feeling for Asami though. She had never felt so…content, so purely happy with someone else before. Yes, of course she enjoyed the time she spent with Korra, but it was different with Kuvira.

Kuvira was someone Asami should never have feelings for. Whether those feelings are for something of a friendship or a romantic relationship, Asami shouldn't be having them. Kuvira was the woman who had killed her father, who had destroyed the lives of so many innocent people. Asami shouldn't even _want_ to have something more with her. But she did. She wanted so much more with Kuvira.

She knew she would never be able to figure out why, but every time she visited Kuvira, she would be pulled closer and closer to the metal bender.

Maybe it was the fact that Asami was working on forgiving Kuvira. Asami realized that there was nothing she could do about what had happened in the past. But the future…anything can happen in the future. And maybe Asami wanted to have something with Kuvira in the future. A friendship or a relationship…she was still figuring that part out for herself.

But nothing was stopping her from giving it a try.

"Does Korra know?"

Kuvira's question came out so quietly Asami almost didn't hear it. And she almost wished she hadn't.

"No…at least, I hope she doesn't."

Kuvira breathed out softly and nodded. "Okay. Don't tell her please. I-I understand that she has every right to now, but I don't want her stressing out over me right now."

"I get it. She's in Ba Sing Se right now too so…I doubt any word about this has gotten to her."

"The city is still that bad?" Kuvira asked.

Asami nodded and looked up at the metal bender. "Only the lower ring though. It's crazy. There's been a huge rise in crime. No one can really understand why, but it's bad."

"I wish I could help…"

"Well, maybe you can. I mean, if Korra thinks it would be okay to have you out there, I don't see why you couldn't help her," Asami said back.

"Yeah but, Raiko would never allow that. They still don't trust me enough," Kuvira replied, her lips turning into a slight frown.

"But if the people out there, in Ba Sing Se, _do_ trust you, then I feel like it would be easier to convince him to let you out. I mean, not permanently, but maybe for a few weeks or a month," Asami suggested, an optimistic smile coming to her face.

"It's worth a shot. But wait until they let me out of the infirmary. I want to make sure I'm stable to go if Raiko approves of something like that."

"You don't think you'll be okay for something like that?" Asami's eyes softened a little when they met Kuvira's. The metal bender's own eyes were more distant now, as if she was being pulled down by the thoughts in her head. Asami wished Kuvira didn't have to go through it anymore. Kuvira had told her a lot about the voices in her head that would constantly torment her at night from time to time.

It was hard to listen to; Asami would admit that, but it was mostly because she was able to understand truly how tortured Kuvira had been since she was put in prison. Korra and Asami were still the only people who had visited her consistently, and even then, they could still only visit once a week. So aside from that and the brief contact with the guards whenever she received her meals, Kuvira was alone, trapped in her own mind with voices telling her that no one cared about her anymore, that she had no purpose in living, that she should just kill herself.

Kuvira fought those voices every day, and she had won – for the most part – for over two years now. But last night was the moment she almost lost that battle.

"I don't know honestly," Kuvira sighed out, turning her eyes back to Asami. "I don't even know if I'll be okay. I just – I wish I could get better…"

"It's hard Kuvira. I can't know what it's been like for you, but you _can_ get better," Asami said, her voice stronger as she wanted to reassure Kuvira that eventually, with time, she would be okay. "That's why I think making the effort to ask Raiko for permission for you to go to Ba Sing Se is a good thing. If you get out there more and the people start to trust you again, I think your mindset about things will improve."

"Why are you so kind to me?" Kuvira asked suddenly, the question catching both women off-guard a little.

Asami hesitated. Why _was_ she being so kind to Kuvira? There was the obvious answer: Because she cared about Kuvira. But then there was the more complicated answer that neither of them was ready to hear: Because she was falling for Kuvira and there was nothing she could do about it, no matter how wrong it was.

Asami settled on the obvious answer.

"I care about you, Kuvira. I know it would be natural for me to hate you, and trust me, for a while after my father's death I did. But I've had adequate time to mourn him. There was his funeral, and I had Korra and my other friends there for me. They helped me start move on even though there's still a long road to completely moving forward and accepting it. And as I've told you before, continuing to hate you wasn't going to bring him back.

"When I came to see you for the first time, I had to hide the guilt I felt for hating you. When I saw how broken you were in here, I realized that you were just as human as the rest of us. You made mistakes, and you learned the hard way from those mistakes. I knew that being stuck in the past wouldn't change anything. I had to think about the future. And…I don't know why, but…I want a future with you in it. Not just because of the…negative…impact you had had on my life, but also because, just like Korra, I chose to see the good in you."

"I just…I don't deserve this," Kuvira mumbled, her gaze shifting to her hands.

"Is that what _you_ think? Or is that what the voices are telling you?" Asami asked, keeping her eyes soft as they lingered on Kuvira's concentrated expression.

"I-I don't even know at this point," Kuvira admitted. She glanced back up to Asami, her normally deep emerald eyes were darkened now and misty with tears. "I feel like they've always been a part of me, so much so that now I can't even tell if my thoughts are really mine."

Asami reached out and took one of Kuvira's hands in her own. It was an action that surprised both women. Asami wasn't expecting Kuvira to respond to it, so of course, the moment she felt Kuvira's fingers tighten around her hand, her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

"You'll be okay. You have me. You have Korra. This is something we'll help you overcome," Asami said softly, her thumb subconsciously brushing across the back of Kuvira's hand, causing the metal bender's breath to catch in her throat, and she was lucky Asami didn't notice.

"Thank you," Kuvira managed, her voice a soft whisper. "Really…I don't know what I'd do without you and Korra. You two have kept me grounded…for the most part. I'm forever grateful for that."

The look Kuvira gave Asami in that moment sent the young CEO spiraling even more into her feelings. Kuvira's expression now…it was just pure affection and…happiness. It was an expression Asami had never seen on Kuvira's face before. Her eyes were brighter now. Her smile was soft and genuine. It filled Asami's heart with relief and joy. She had to use all her willpower not to cry.

And it was in this moment that Asami was assured of what her feelings were. She didn't know whether she should be glad about it, because she had figured it out, or if she should be horribly sad and disappointed, because she knew it could – _would_ – never happen. But at least she knew there was no more denying it anymore.

She was in love.

* * *

Kuvira had been out of the infirmary for five days, and on the sixth day she was graced with a visit from Korra.

The Avatar had returned from Ba Sing Se a few days earlier, and she had called a meeting with the leaders of all the nations to decide how to put together efforts to help the lower ring of the city. There had been a lengthy discussion about certain approaches, and it was actually Tenzin who had suggested that maybe getting Kuvira out there wasn't such a bad idea. The air bending master agreed with Korra that there were still many people in Ba Sing Se who approved of Kuvira's efforts when she initially stabilized the city a few years back. He thought that the city would still be open to Kuvira assisting in rebuilding some areas and getting rid of the bandit groups that had ravaged the lower ring.

Of course, Raiko and Izumi were extremely against the idea. Prince Wu eventually opened up to it, but he wasn't so sure yet. Korra knew it was going to be a hard fought battle for this, but she talked it over with Asami, and when her best friend agreed it was the best option, the Avatar knew she needed to talk to Kuvira about it too.

However, when Korra arrived at the prison, she had been informed about Kuvira's recent discharge from the infirmary. And even though Asami had promised not to tell Korra about what had happened, the guard on duty had no idea how much of a toll the news would have on Korra.

"She _what_?!" Korra yelled the second the guard told her. "Why wasn't word sent to me about this while I was away?! I would have come back to see her!"

"Avatar Korra, I was not on duty when it happened. I would have thought someone else would give you word," he answered, nervous about the Avatar's rising temper.

"Yeah…then why didn't they?! Did all of them know?!"

The guard nodded. "Your friend too. She was here to see Kuvira."

Korra gritted her teeth and nodded curtly, biting back any remark that threatened to surface before she brushed past the guard and headed to Kuvira's confinement room.

She didn't necessarily know if she was angry or upset with both Asami and Kuvira. She would have thought that at least Asami would have the decency to tell her that Kuvira had tried to kill herself.

_I mean, it's not like it's a small thing,_ Korra told herself. _Kuvira is a best friend to me! Asami knows how much she matters to me! Why wouldn't she tell me something like this happened?_

"Korra," Kuvira said once the door to her room was opened. "How was your - ,"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Korra interrupted. She kept her voice calm now, but Kuvira could hear the hurt tone it carried.

"I-I knew you probably had a lot on your shoulders in Ba Sing Se. I didn't want to make it worse," Kuvira answered.

"But Kuvira, you know I would have dropped everything and come back," Korra said. "That's something I deserve to know. I shouldn't be finding this out over a week later."

"I'm sorry," Kuvira whispered.

"Sorry doesn't excuse the fact that I could have lost you," Korra said back, going over to Kuvira and sitting next to the metal bender on her bed. "But Asami was here. The guard told me she came to see you and didn't leave your side once she found out what happened."

"Yeah…um, she was pretty shaken up about it," Kuvira replied honestly.

"I would think so. I am too." Korra breathed out softly and turned her head to look at Kuvira. "But I'm not here to be upset with you for not telling me. I can understand you reasoning behind it, and it was your decision anyway. I can't fault you for that. But I actually wanted to talk to you about bringing you out to Ba Sing Se to aid in stabilizing the lower ring. Would you be okay with that?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kuvira returned, raising an eyebrow at Korra. She knew Asami wanted this to happen as well, but hearing it come from Korra's mouth made it so much realer.

Korra nodded. "I think it is. You pulled Ba Sing Se together after Zaheer. I believe you can do it again."

"I-I'm not opposed to it. If you really think I'll make that much of a difference then I'll go."

"The only challenge is clearing it with President Raiko and Lin. I think I can convince Lin to open up to the idea, but Raiko with be more difficult," Korra said back, swinging her legs a little over the edge of the bed.

Kuvira nodded in understanding. "I'll do it. I want to help."

Korra gave her characteristic grin as her sapphire eyes lit up when she looked at Kuvira again. "Awesome! I'll let Tenzin know, and I'll bring it back around to Raiko soon!"

Kuvira smiled a little at the thought of getting out of the prison for an extended period of time. She knew she would still have her restrictions while in Ba Sing Se, but she imagined how amazing it would feel to be outside more, to reconnect with the people of her home nation.

"So…" Korra started awkwardly, bringing Kuvira out of her daydreaming. "What exactly is going on between you and Asami?"

Kuvira blushed slightly as her eyes widened at the question. "What do you mean? We're friends," she answered shortly.

Korra gave the metal bender a small nudge with her elbow. "Come on…we both know that isn't true. Whether or not you two have 'done' anything with each other or if you've actually gone on a date…you both have feelings for each other."

"Do you just want me to admit that I like Asami?" Kuvira returned, giving Korra one of her quizzical glares.

Korra nodded and returned Kuvira's glare with a playful grin of her own.

"I can't do that," Kuvira said, and Korra's expression fell.

"What? Why not?" Korra nearly whined before she groaned out in frustration.

"Because…we haven't even gone out…like, on a date. Plus, we haven't even admitted our feelings to each other – that is, _if_ we even have the same feelings for each other…and that's a big 'if.'"

"Okay," Korra started, raising her hands in mock defeat. "Let's just start with this: _Why_ do you like Asami? And…not in a romantic way…I'm just asking what about Asami, as a person, do you like?"

Kuvira darted her eyes around the small room, trying to look at anything but Korra's expectant and waiting gaze. But also, there were so many things about Asami that she liked. She had to sort through all of them and form a coherent thought.

"Well…uh, I think the most obvious is that she's beautiful," Kuvira answered, and she couldn't help the dopey grin that came to her face as she thought about Asami. The young CEO's pale, smooth skin. Her long raven hair where a strand never seemed to be out of place. Her electric green eyes that were always bright, always alert, and so _knowing_ whenever they were locked on Kuvira. And her smile, _Spirits, her smile,_ Kuvira thought.

"I don't think anyone can deny that," Kuvira continued, managing to pull herself out of her thoughts. "Um…she's brilliant, really. I've seen the things she's invented, how she's improved other designs even. And I've seen what she's doing with rebuilding Republic City. She smart, intellectual. I don't know…I like that about her.

"She's also kind-hearted. I've seen how she tries to hide it sometimes. On occasions when she visited me, especially the first time you brought her here, she sort of…tried to shield the fact that she was a selfless person. She didn't want me to see that she had felt something along the lines of sympathy for me at first. But eventually, she let herself break down a little, and she told me that she cared about me. I admire that about her. To be able to open yourself up, especially to someone who should be your worst enemy, is a hard thing to do.

"She's forgiving too. Obviously, she's still trying to forgive me. But she forgave her father. Even though it took her a while, she still came around to it…realized that he had made a mistake and decided that resenting him for it wouldn't help anything. That's what she did with me. She knows that hating me won't bring back her father. She knows that forgiving me is the only way to truly move on. It's amazing really. Even she knows how hard forgiving me will be, but she's still trying, not because she feels obligated to, but because she _wants_ to. I find that amazing. Not many people have that kind of strength.

"I always tell her that I don't deserve the kindness she gives me. I don't deserve her forgiveness because I can't even forgive myself, and I doubt I ever will. But then she always says to me that I do deserve it, that she knows I'm a good person and that I was just misguided back then. She realized that I was so young to take on all that responsibility while you were gone, Korra. And she…she chose to give me a second chance. She chose to see past my mistakes and make an effort to understand why I did what I had done.

"Korra, aside from you, Asami is the only person I have left. Su and her family haven't even made an effort to visit me more often or to remain in communication with me. Obviously I don't have any family I can count on. I'm sure even your friends despise the fact that you care about me so much, and I don't think they appreciate that Asami cares about me now either. You were the one who kept me grounded for all those months after I was put in here, and now I have Asami for that too. And it was all because she chose to open her heart and mind to the possibility of forgiving me.

"I will never be able to thank her enough for that."

The two women sat in silence for a few minutes. Korra, quite frankly, didn't know what to say. She had never heard anyone talk about another person that way before. Kuvira's tone…it held so much respect for Asami, so much admiration. Spirits, Korra didn't even think _she_ had talked that way about Kuvira when she had told Pema about her feelings for the metal bender.

And then Korra put everything into place, put two and two together. She figured Kuvira would never admit it, but it was worth a shot.

"You love her."

It was a statement, not a question. It caught Kuvira by surprise, and at a moment when her guard was down as well.

Korra's tone was matter-of-fact, as if she already knew it was true, as if she didn't even need confirmation from Kuvira. But Korra wanted it. She wanted to hear Kuvira say that she loved Asami. Korra didn't know why she wanted it so much either. She just knew that Kuvira was never one to voice her feelings that much. She knew it took a lot for the metal bender to break down and open up. And maybe, just maybe, Korra still had feelings for Kuvira, and hearing the metal bender say she loved someone else would finally allow Korra to let go of those feelings.

Kuvira, on the other hand, didn't know how to respond. Did she love Asami? Had she already fallen for the young CEO? In fact, she didn't know for sure.

"I-I…" Kuvira started, but she quickly trailed off. "I'm not sure, Korra," she finally settled on. "I shouldn't be having these feelings for her. It's not right, and I - ,"

"What's not right about it?" Korra questioned, looking to Kuvira with skeptical eyes. "Why is falling in love with someone wrong?"

"It's just – It's hard to imagine. I caused her so much pain and grief," Kuvira answered.

"So you don't know if you love her?"

Kuvira shook her head. "I just don't know, after what I did to her. It doesn't feel right. And yet…she shows me nothing but kindness. She opened her heart to me first. I'm just afraid of hurting her…"

Korra couldn't help the soft smile that graced her lips at Kuvira's confession. "I think you just answered your question," she said back. "She's been trying to get closer to you. She wants to know _Kuvira_ , not the Great Uniter, but sometimes, you hold yourself back from opening up a little too much because you don't want to get close. You don't want to hurt her with your past. You think she'll still see the Great Uniter in you, but that's not true. You're trying to protect her from yourself, and honestly Kuvira, I think that will hurt her more in the long run."

And then Kuvira dropped her face into her hands, and a few moments later, hard sobs coursed through the metal bender. Korra nearly panicked. She didn't know if something she said had set Kuvira into tears, or if something else was going on in Kuvira's mind.

"You're right…" Korra heard Kuvira whisper through her cries.

"About what?" Korra looked to her friend with slight concern, and she rested a hand on Kuvira's shoulder, silently letting the metal bender know that it was okay to talk to her about what she was feeling.

Kuvira lifted her head and locked eyes with Korra, her own deep green ones clouded, and her cheeks stained with tears.

"I love her…"

* * *

Kuvira wasn't nervous or scared after she had admitted to Korra the previous week that she loved Asami. No…she was _terrified._ And Kuvira wasn't usually the type of person be terrified of anything. But love…oh Spirits how that word sent shivers up and down her spine.

Of course, when she was with Baatar Jr. she had been able to toss that word around easily. But now, it was different with Asami. Now Kuvira could barely _think_ the word without her heart beating faster and her breaths becoming heavier. It was different now because what she was feeling was pure, unadulterated respect, admiration, and affection for Asami.

She would never be able to pinpoint the exact moment she thought she might have stronger feelings for Asami, but Kuvira did know that she began thinking about what it would be like to be with the young CEO for over a year now.

More than a year…and Kuvira never said anything about her feelings out of fear of rejection.

But Kuvira knew she had to take the risk. She had to take that leap into the vast expanse of her emotions. She had to face this thing head on. Even if Asami didn't feel the same way, at least Kuvira would now instead of continuing on like this in her doubt and anxiety ridden mind.

* * *

"Kuvira…Miss Sato is here to see you," the guard said, and soon the door was opened, and the metal bender instantly smiled once she saw Asami.

"Hey Kuvira. Sorry I didn't see you last week. I got caught up in one of my projects with the city," Asami said, an apologetic look on her face as she stepped into the room.

"It's fine. What are you working on now?" Kuvira asked, sitting up on the edge of her bed.

"Still redesigning some housing in the areas that were destroyed by the creation of the new spirit portal," Asami said with a small sigh. "It's tough but…I think I found something that might work. And I also might need your help with reinforcing the buildings."

Kuvira nodded and smiled again. "Sure. Whatever you need, I'll do it."

Asami didn't know why she blushed at Kuvira's statement, but she quickly found herself flustered and she lost track of what she had really come here to ask Kuvira. She managed to pull herself together though, and she looked up to see Kuvira's eyes on her.

"Uh…Kuvira, I uh, wanted to ask you something," Asami started, now avoiding the metal bender's eyes again.

"Fire away," Kuvira said back, her usual smirk coming to her face.

Asami rolled her eyes as a soft chuckle escaped her lips. "Look…um, after the whole incident with you in the infirmary… Well, I never had the chance to take you out to dinner. And, I was wondering if you'd like to go out tonight?"

Now it was Kuvira's turn to blush, but she still kept her eyes on Asami as a wide smile broke on her lips. "I'd love to."

* * *

Asami had taken Kuvira to a small noodle shop that Bolin had recommended to her a couple weeks prior. It was a quaint little place that wasn't too crowded, and Asami was able to enjoy her dinner with Kuvira at a small table in the far corner of the restaurant. It was nice. They were just able to talk freely, smile, and laugh. Asami had also never seen even Bolin wolf down a bowl of noodles as fast as Kuvira did. But then again, it had been a while since they had gone out in the city together, and it wasn't hard to tell how tired of prison food Kuvira was.

They left the restaurant a little after nine, and Asami was glad they had some time to spare before she needed to take Kuvira back to the prison.

She had stolen a few glances to Kuvira as they walked through Avatar Korra Park, and Asami noticed how much thinner the metal bender was now, and she wondered how much weight Kuvira had lost over the last couple years.

Asami never noticed Kuvira's thinner frame because of her baggy prison clothes, but since the metal bender was able to wear more normal clothes tonight – a plain, forest green v-neck shirt and black, slim-fitting chinos – Asami was able to see the change in Kuvira's build. Sure, she still held onto her athletic physique, but Asami could tell that Kuvira had lost some of the muscle she had seen when she was the Great Uniter.

"Thank you…for taking me out tonight." Kuvira's voice broke through Asami's thoughts, and she looked beside her to find Kuvira's eyes staring back at her, a faint glow of the moonlight reflecting off of them.

"Of course. I'm glad you enjoyed it," Asami said back, and she was happy it was dark out, because then Kuvira would have seen the blush on her cheeks.

"We should do this again. I liked spending the time with you…ya know, in a more normal setting…not in prison." Kuvira managed a small laugh, but it seemed a little forced to Asami, and she could sense the sadness hidden behind the metal bender's voice.

"I know you want to get out of there," Asami said softly, resting a hand on Kuvira's shoulder and they stopped walking in the middle of the path cutting through the park. "It'll take some time though. Korra is still working on convincing Raiko to let you go to Ba Sing Se, and I'll put in a word about that as well."

"I know…I know…" Kuvira whispered back, relaxing slightly under Asami's touch. "It just seems to get harder each day. Maybe they can allow you and Korra to see me more than once a week. Even in between the few days I don't see you…it's hard."

Asami's expression softened again at Kuvira's words, and she gave the metal bender's shoulder a soft squeeze of reassurance. "Korra and I will find a way to get you out of there. Even if it's only for a few weeks, I know how much it'll help you."

"Thank you, Asami." Kuvira's smile was genuine. It was warm. It was loving. And before Kuvira knew what she was doing, she had pulled Asami against her into a soft hug, her arms wrapped snugly around Asami's waist.

Asami responded by looping her arms over Kuvira's shoulders, holding the metal bender tighter, wishing she would never have to let go.

* * *

Korra was worried. She was worried about Kuvira's mental state the most, but she was also worried about how Asami was handling her feelings for the metal bender.

Asami had told Korra about the night a few weeks ago when she had taken Kuvira out to dinner. Even though neither of them had voiced it, they both considered it a date. And Asami had told Korra about the words exchanged between them after dinner and how Kuvira had pulled her into an unexpected hug.

But Asami couldn't even describe her emotions without breaking down into tears. The young engineer cried because she was so overwhelmed by the fact that she was in love. She cried because when she was with Kuvira, she was _happy._ But she also cried because she knew that whatever was going on between her and Kuvira…it wasn't healthy. Though they weren't even in a relationship with each other, this pushing and pulling – unintentionally, but it didn't excuse the fact that it was happening – with each other's heart strings wasn't right.

Asami shouldn't be smiling and laughing freely when she spends time with Kuvira and then be crying her eyes out over the metal bender when she talks about her feelings to Korra.

She shouldn't be telling Korra that her feelings are wrong or that falling for Kuvira was a bad decision. She shouldn't be telling Korra that she has regrets about continuously visiting Kuvira, because if she hadn't, then none of this would be happening to her.

This was what worried Korra the most.

Korra was happy that Asami had fallen for someone who understood her. She was happy that Asami's feelings were returned by Kuvira, even though the young engineer didn't know it for sure yet.

But that was the thing: Asami needed to know that Kuvira felt the same way for her. Otherwise, Korra knew her best friend would just be stuck tormenting herself and feeling guilty over the emotions that came to her whenever she was with Kuvira.

"Korra?"

The Avatar snapped out of her trance when she noticed Tenzin waving his hand in front of her face. _Right,_ she reminded herself. She was at the council meeting with Raiko waiting to hear his decision on whether or not he would allow Kuvira to go out to Ba Sing Se.

"Are you okay?" Tenzin asked, looking to Korra with a slightly worried expression.

"Oh yeah…I'm fine. Just a little tired," Korra lied, but Tenzin bought it.

"I said yes," came President Raiko's voice.

"Really?" Korra's eyes lit up as she turned her attention to the older man sitting across from her.

"Yes, really. Prince Wu came to me saying that he thought it would be a good decision, and Miss Sato also told me that Kuvira would be a huge help out there."

"She would…uh, President Raiko…sir… A lot of the people there, especially in the lower and middle rings, still respect Kuvira for what she did a few years ago. She actually helped stabilize the lower ring after Zaheer assassinated the queen, and her relief efforts – though she didn't have adequate supplies – were still enough to help a lot of people get back on their feet," Korra replied. "I think bringing her there will get the people to cooperate with us if they know she supports me, Wu, and Asami. Having her there might also scare off some of the bandit groups since they know what happened to them the last time they crossed her path."

Raiko gave a few nods of approval. "I'm allowing her out for one month," he said. "This gives you some time to get the people there to work with you and to start your relief efforts with Kuvira seeing what's going on. If you want to get her out for more time…well, that will take a lot more convincing on my part."

"Yes sir. Are there any restrictions you've set on Kuvira for that time?" Korra asked.

"That's up to Prince Wu. I'm sure he'll figure out something. If it were up to me, she would be watched by you at all times. But, since you will be in the prince's jurisdiction, his restrictions are as he sees fit, so I'm sure Kuvira will have more freedom."

Korra nodded in understand and couldn't help the small smile that broke onto her face. "Thank you President Raiko. You really have no idea how much this will help."

"Mhm…just don't make me regret it," he said, his tone slightly threatening, but Korra brushed it off.

She trusted Kuvira enough not to try anything while she was out of prison. Besides, she had been out plenty enough with either her or Asami. If she had wanted to escape, she would have done something by now.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

Kuvira sat on the small couch in the corner of the train car and stared out the window, watching the rocky terrain flash by as the train sped along the tracks towards Ba Sing Se. She was surprised Raiko had agreed to let this happen, but she was relieved nonetheless. She didn't have to wear prison clothes, eat prison food, or deal with being alone and trapped in her own mind all day and night.

Now, she had Korra and Asami with her, and Tenzin said he would join them in Ba Sing Se for a week. But Kuvira kept wondering if Su or even Opal would bother to show up at some point. She had received a few stray letters every now and then from Baatar Jr., asking about how she was doing and simple things like that. No doubt they would have a strained relationship with each other for the rest of their lives, but Su…Kuvira was having a hard time accepting that the older woman didn't even bother to visit her more in the last three years.

After all they had been through with each other, and after all the pain Kuvira had caused her, the younger woman figured Su would at least have the decency to _try_ and build back a relationship between them, no matter how difficult it was.

"Hey…"

Kuvira looked up to see Asami walk through the doors of the train car, carrying a tray holding two cups of tea. The metal bender smiled instantly, and she tried to push away the flutters she felt in her chest at the sight of Asami.

"You look deep in thought," Asami commented, sitting in the cushioned chair next to the couch, and she set the tray on the small table in between the couch and chair.

Kuvira nodded and resumed looking back out the window. "You could say that…"

"A yuan for your thoughts maybe?" Asami cracked a small smile, and Kuvira turned her gaze back to the young engineer.

"A whole yuan?" she returned, raising her eyebrows and smirking a little. "You're going to be here for a while."

Asami shrugged and leaned back in the chair, taking her cup of tea. "We have two more days on this train. I'm here to listen."

Kuvira let a smile tug gently at the corner of her lips, thinking back to when Korra was the only one who used to listen to her vent her thoughts after she was put in prison. And now she had Asami.

"Just…a lot of stuff," Kuvira mumbled, taking a small sip from her own cup of tea before she set the cup back down. "Mostly about Suyin though," she admitted.

"Oh yeah…what about her?"

"It's been nearly three years. I just…I figured she would have reached out more to me by now… We went through so much together. We loved each other, Asami. She cared about me so much, and to think she wouldn't visit me more or send letters every so often…it's hard…"

"She didn't take a light hit from you, Kuvira," Asami said back. "I mean, you betrayed her and left everything you two had had together in Zao Fu. You two tried to kill each other on a few occasions…and you nearly murdered her and her children."

Kuvira shot a pointed glare in Asami's direction, and the young engineer nearly flinched from the expression, but she managed to hold her ground.

"Thanks for your support…" Kuvira growled out, turning and staring out the window again, letting out a small huff of frustration.

"I'm sorry Kuvira…but it's the truth. I don't want to - ,"

"You think I don't know that?" Kuvira interrupted. "I've spent nearly three years in prison, in solitary confinement. Do you think I haven't recognized how I've hurt everyone that used to be close to me?"

Kuvira's tone was accusing, and Asami didn't appreciate it. Also, Asami had no idea why Kuvira would be snapping at _her_ of all people.

"I never said you didn't," Asami shot back, her tone becoming more defensive now. "I'm just saying that you damaged a relationship you had with someone who cared about you, someone who loved you."

"So you think I deserve this?" Kuvira looked back at Asami now, her gaze hard and unwavering as she stood up, pacing around the train car a little – something that made Asami nervous for some reason. "You think I deserve not hearing from her for all this time?"

Asami groaned out in both frustration and anger towards the metal bender. "I don't think you deserve any of this Kuvira!" she snapped. "But you threw away your whole relationship with Suyin once you left Zao Fu! Once you left, you turned your back on her and everything you had together!"

Kuvira took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. "I just think that maybe…it would be out of common sense and decency to at least send a letter or…visit – _one more_ visit would have been fine – to see how I'm doing."

"Well maybe Suyin isn't as forgiving as you thought she might be," Asami said, and now it was her turn to glare back at Kuvira. "You know most people won't forgive as easily or as quickly as I did."

"Are you serious? Asami, it took you a whole year to finally agree to see me!" Kuvira said, her voice raising a little, and if looks could kill, Asami would have been six feet under by now.

But this look from Kuvira didn't just kill…it _hurt._ It was like taking a knife right to the chest. It was like, after these last few years of Asami trying to forgive Kuvira, she was having all of it thrown back in her face.

But instead of letting Kuvira's expression and words hurt her, Asami just snapped out of anger.

"You fucking murdered my dad!" Asami yelled, and now she was standing as well, and before Kuvira could react she was shoved hard into the wall of the train car. "Any other person wouldn't have come to see you at all! They wouldn't have even bothered to try and forgive you for what you did! You took away the last piece of family I had! You managed to ruin every relationship you had with people who cared about you because your stupid fucking ego got in the way of everything! _You_ had to be the one to pull the Earth Kingdom back together. _You_ had to be the one all high and mighty and the one people looked up to. But that's not how it turned out. Instead, you're just a cold-hearted murderer who manipulates others into helping _you_ get what _you_ want!"

"Asami…don't - ,"

"You never really cared about me at all, did you? You just strung me along and had me convinced you changed so I would help get you out of prison."

"Asami, that's not true and you know it." Kuvira was breaking inside. Asami's words hurt. They cut. They burned. They stung. But she wouldn't let it show on the surface. She kept it masked instead by an expression of pure anger – eyes bright and glowing with rage and muscles tensing with the urge to lash out at something.

"Is it? Because I'm starting to doubt you, Kuvira. You had no right to throw my forgiveness back in my face like that! After everything I've done for you…to help make _you_ feel better because I saw that _you_ were suffering, and you just…have the _fucking nerve_ to tell me that my forgiveness isn't real enough? Damn it Kuvira you had me in so deep too! You had me fucking wishing I could have a future with you and had me _falling the fuck_ in love with you - ,"

"Asami…"

The young engineer didn't look back at Kuvira. She knew that if she did, she would drown in this sea of emotions she was helplessly stuck in, trying to keep her head above the surface.

"I-I should probably go," Asami got out, her voice weaker now as she still avoiding turning her eyes to Kuvira.

"No, Asami…wait, please…"

Kuvira could only watch as Asami left through the doors of the train car, and for the first time in a while, Kuvira felt absolutely helpless. She slid her back down the wall of the car until she was on the floor.

And she cried.

For what? She really didn't know. For a lost opportunity at love maybe. For the fact that she had, yet again, ruined a relationship with someone who genuinely cared about and loved her. There were a lot of things Kuvira could have been crying about, but even she couldn't make sense of what those reasons were.

She just cried.

* * *

It was an awkward next couple of days on the train between Asami and Kuvira. Both women avoided each other at all costs, and even when they were in the same room with each other, they didn't speak to one another. It also put Korra a little on edge too. She had no idea what had happened between Asami and Kuvira a couple days prior, and she figured that she might not want to know anyway, because whatever it was…it was bad.

Asami was giving off the angry vibes, so Korra decided she wasn't going to get involved with that. And Kuvira…well, Kuvira just seemed sad and distant. The metal bender spent most of the remainder of the train ride sulking in her train car and staring out the window. Korra had tried talking to her at one point, but all she received in response were a few shrugs and 'I guess's' from Kuvira, so she just dropped it altogether.

But now, as the train pulled into the station at Ba Sing Se, Korra noticed a drastic change in Kuvira's behavior. She seemed livelier now, and a small smile was glued to her face.

"What has you looking so excited?" Korra asked, keeping her voice down a little as she noticed a side glare coming from Asami.

"Well…I guess I should give the people some more confidence in my coming here to help them," Kuvira said back, turning to give Korra a grateful smile. "Thank you for convincing Raiko to let me come here."

"You know I'd do anything for you Kuvira. Asami also put in some words of encouragement to the president," Korra answered.

"Uh…yeah…she told me," Kuvira said, and her mood changed all over again.

Korra shot Asami a questioning look behind Kuvira's back, silently asking the engineer 'what the hell is going on between you two?'

But Asami just brushed it off and exited the train once it came to a stop.

There was actually a small crowd gathered around the train station. Once Prince Wu had told the citizens of Ba Sing Se that Kuvira would be returning to help stabilize things, the people of the lower and middle rings became extremely excited about the news. The people truly believed that Kuvira could help, given her previous reputation in the city, and they trusted that she would do everything she could to bring as much peace and stability as possible to the city, especially to the lower ring.

Kuvira was happy to greet some of the people waiting outside the station, and she received plenty of light-hearted 'welcome back's'.

Prince Wu greeted them shortly after they stepped off the train, and the young prince was ecstatic as well to have Kuvira in the city.

"Kuvira!" Wu called as the trio approached the car that would be taking them to the palace. "It's so good to see you! You're looking a little thin though…I'll have my chef make an extra big dinner for you tonight!"

Kuvira rolled her eyes but grudgingly let a small smile come to her face. "Prince Wu…it's always a pleasure with you. And thanks for the hospitality and concern about my health…but I'm fine."

Wu gave a dismissive wave of his hand and scoffed lightly. "Pfft…don't kid yourself. I know you need a break from all that gross prison food."

The prince's driver opened the car door for them, and Korra purposely sat in between Kuvira and Asami, as some part of her believed that if she let those two anywhere near each other they would rip each other to shreds. Obviously she didn't know what was going on, but Korra definitely felt the tension between the two women.

The ride to the palace wasn't extremely eventful, and it just consisted of Wu telling the three women of how he planned to have Kuvira assist in the rebuilding efforts in the lower ring. He would need the metal bender out there quite a bit to assess which specific areas she thought needed the most immediate attention, and if they needed specific supplies or anything like that, Asami would call everything in from Future Industries.

Korra nearly cringed at the thought of having Asami and Kuvira work together now. The barely looked at each other on the way to the palace; how were they going to stabilize and entire section of Ba Sing Se together?

* * *

"I hope you know we're going to have to talk to each other at some point."

Asami stiffened the moment she heard Kuvira's voice behind her, and she kept herself facing away from the metal bender as she leaned on the stone railing of the terrace belonging to the office Prince Wu had allowed her to set up her belongings in.

"We're working together to basically rebuild the entire lower ring of this city," Kuvira continued. "I'm only here for a month, and that's not nearly enough time."

"Then I'll talk to you when we have to work," Asami said, her voice a little more bitter than she had intended it to be. Luckily, she didn't see the look of hurt pass over Kuvira's face. If she had, she would have felt even guiltier about how she had been acting for the last couple days.

"Why are you pushing me away all of a sudden?" Kuvira asked, taking a few steps towards Asami. "Did I do something to hurt you? Because if I did…then I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you did do something to hurt me," Asami said, turning around to face Kuvira, her eyes narrowed and bright with anger at the metal bender. "You killed my dad."

"I don't believe that's the only reason you've been avoiding me," Kuvira said, keeping her voice soft as she looked back at Asami, her own emerald eyes calm and understanding.

"Really? Then what do you think another reason is?" Asami shot back.

The engineer's tone hurt, Kuvira would admit that to herself. But she didn't react to it on the surface.

"I think this has to do with what you said to me on the train." Kuvira wrung her hands together, fidgeting with her fingers nervously as she dropped her gaze to the ground.

"Why should it matter to you?" Asami mumbled, turning her back to Kuvira again. "I got emotional and said some things I didn't mean."

"After you walked out on me…did you even think about how I was feeling? Did any thought cross your mind that maybe I feel the same way too?" Kuvira returned her steady gaze to Asami, and she worried at her lower lip as she waited for a response.

She saw Asami's shoulders fall a little as the engineer exhaled slowly. Asami was trying to hold herself together now. She knew that if she let her emotions get the better of her she might do something she would regret…like yell at Kuvira again…

"I'm sorry for some of the things I said on the train," Asami settled on instead of answering Kuvira's question. "It was uncalled for and…I know I probably hurt you with what I said. You didn't deserve that, especially after how kind and appreciative you've been towards me."

Kuvira took the final steps so she was standing next to Asami now, and she gazed out over the view in front of them. The sky was almost dark. Only a faint glow of deep orange remained where the sun had set a little while ago. She could faintly make out some sections of the lower ring, and beyond that stood a vast desert that stretched on for what seemed like forever.

"You said 'for some of the things,'" Kuvira returned, leaning on the railing and turning to Asami now. "So what aren't you sorry for?"

Asami knew she was stuck. There was no way to get out of this now. Kuvira was too good at picking apart her thoughts and getting her to say what she desperately didn't want to admit out loud again. But there was no going back from this. She had already gotten herself in too deep with Kuvira.

"Look…" Kuvira started, "if you don't want to share it, that's okay. I'm not going to force you to talk about something if you're not - ,"

"That I love you…" Asami whispered.

"Wait…what?" Kuvira's gaze was a little more intense now. She wasn't even sure if she heard Asami correctly. Of course she had heard what the engineer said on the train, but hearing it again, hearing Asami say it to her face…it seemed surreal, like this couldn't possibly be happening.

"Please don't make me say it again…" Asami's voice was weaker now, and she folded her arms across her stomach, closing in on herself a little.

Kuvira kept her eyes on Asami, watching the engineer start to slowly break down in front of her.

"Say something Kuvira…"

That was the hard part. Quite frankly, Kuvira had no idea what to say. She wasn't expecting all her feelings for Asami to come crashing down on her all at once right now.

"Kuvira please…I just need to know…" Asami's eyes met Kuvira's now, and the engineer's gaze was almost pleading as she searched Kuvira's own eyes for something that would give her any indication of how the metal bender was feeling.

Kuvira had always been good with words. She was always able to get her thoughts out smoothly and have them make sense. But now, her mind was complete mush. She couldn't form a coherent thought even if her life depended on it right now. Because here she was, standing in front of the woman she had loved for the past two years, the woman she was in love with _right now_ , the woman she desperately wanted to have a future with, and that woman had just said that she loved her too.

Now wasn't a time for Kuvira to use her words. Sure, she could tell Asami that she loved her too, that she had fallen for her a while ago. But Kuvira didn't know if her own love confession was something she could handle right now.

So instead, she went with her gut, with what she had wanted to do ever since Asami first took her out for dinner over two years ago.

She took Asami's hand in her own and locked eyes again with the young engineer, trying to silently tell her that she felt the same way, before she gently pulled Asami's lips to hers.

Asami was surprised…if that was even the right word for what she was right now. It took her a few moments to actually realize that, yes, this was happening. But once she finally made sense of the fact that she was kissing Kuvira, she instantly relaxed against the metal bender's lips, wrapping her free arm around Kuvira's strong shoulders.

The kiss was soft, gentle, and somewhat cautious. Neither women put any heat into the kiss, nor did their feelings explode in a burst of fiery passion for each other. None of that happened. But what _did_ happen was that instead, their feelings were put out in front of each other. Both of them had made themselves vulnerable in front of the other, and they both knew that they had taken that step across whatever line they had initially been afraid to cross with each other.

The kiss ended too quickly for Asami though, and when Kuvira pulled away, the engineer found herself moving forward, wanting to feel Kuvira's warm lips on her own again.

Kuvira placed her other hand on Asami's chest, a soft chuckled escaping her. "Slow down there," she said teasingly, her usual grin coming to her face.

Asami rolled her eyes and let out a soft breath. "Is it so bad I want to kiss you again? I've been waiting two years for that you know…"

"Then we're on the same page with waiting too long," Kuvira said, and she glanced out to the now dark sky, the moon just resting over the horizon. "We should get some sleep…Wu is expecting us at nine tomorrow morning."

"That's too early," Asami mumbled, and she found herself getting more comfortable in Kuvira's arms as she rested her cheek against the metal bender's shoulder.

"Really? I'm sure you've had your fair share of early mornings."

"I have…but it's our first day here. We should have some time to just regroup and get ready to see the chaos down in the lower ring," Asami replied.

"A day of sleeping in wouldn't hurt, I guess," Kuvira said, and without thinking she pressed a soft kiss to the top of Asami's head. _Damn it,_ Kuvira thought. _I'm too fucking in love. This won't end well…_

And at that last thought, Kuvira pulled out of Asami's embrace, taking a few steps back. "I'm going to head to my room," she said. "Want me to walk you back to yours?"

Asami nodded, trying to push away the desire to feel Kuvira's arms around her again and they walked back inside the engineer's office room with each other.

They stayed silent as Asami walked back to her room, Kuvira trailing a few feet behind her. It was a little awkward if both women were being completely honest with themselves. And once they reached the door to Asami's room, neither woman knew what to say.

So, Asami took initiative this time, and she leaned forward, pressing a soft, chaste kiss to Kuvira's lips.

"Goodnight, Kuvira," Asami whispered, a small smile coming to her own lips.

"Yeah…goodnight, Asami. I'll see you tomorrow," Kuvira said back, her own voice quiet as she pulled Asami into a soft hug before she turned and walked down the hallway, heading back to her own room.

Asami sighed out once she shut the door to her room, and uncontrollable smile remaining on her lips. She couldn't stop the fluttering in her chest from what had just happened. It almost didn't seem real to her. There were so many emotions going through her right now.

One of them – the most obvious – was happiness. She had finally been able to tell Kuvira how she felt, and it was even more surreal to know that Kuvira shared the same feelings.

But then there was also fear. Asami hated to admit it, but she was afraid of loving Kuvira this much. Part of her was afraid of loving someone whose heart was so broken and scarred. She was afraid of loving someone who had hurt her so much. She was afraid of loving someone whose personality clashed so much with hers, for better _and_ for worse.

But most of all, Asami was afraid that this love between her and Kuvira could turn into something beautiful and deadly at the same time.

It was a love that could, in the end, hurt both of them more than anything else before.

* * *

Asami had purposely avoided walking past Kuvira's room the next morning. Instead, she had gone straight to Korra's room, her heart pounding in her chest as she knocked on the door.

Asami smiled and laughed a little when she heard Korra groan and mumble incoherent things, but eventually she heard soft shuffling from the Avatar's room, and within a few more moments, the door opened.

"Not to sound rude but…it's not even seven yet; why are you here?" Korra mumbled. "We don't have to be at breakfast with Wu until nine."

"Yeah, um…sorry. I just…I wanted to talk about…stuff," Asami managed to get out, stumbling over her words as she tried to find the right things to say.

"Oh…uh, yeah sure." Korra nodded and let Asami into her room, closing the door behind her. "So…spill all your relationship details to me," Korra said, more animation in her voice as she shot Asami a playful grin, motioning for the engineer to sit next to her on the bed.

Asami rolled her eyes, but in reality it was true: she was here to talk to Korra about her relationship. Or…lack of one so far.

"Stop being obnoxious," Asami said. "But…it is about Kuvira…"

"I figured that much. I can tell you've been…thinking about what you have with her a lot," Korra replied, keeping her voice soft. "I'm here…so you can tell me anything."

"She kissed me last night," Asami blurted out, and once the words were out of her mouth she blushed furiously and turned her gaze to the floor, almost ashamed to look back at Korra.

"Whoa…" Korra trailed off as she thought for a moment. "Well, I was not expecting that."

"Neither was I. But Korra, the problem isn't that she kissed me; it's that I liked it," Asami admitted. "I just…I wanted more from her but…I know I can't."

"You can't?" Korra raised an eyebrow at Asami, her expression more knowing now. "Or is it that you think you shouldn't?"

Asami sighed out in frustration. She hated that she was feeling this way for Kuvira of all people. But at the same time, she knew she deserved to be happy with someone. So did Kuvira…and if they both loved each other – at least they thought they did at the moment – then what was stopping them from trying to be together?

_Well…a few things actually,_ Asami told herself.

"Korra…it's still hard to move on from what she did to me," Asami said, her voice even quieter now. "I…I hate her but I love her at the same time. Nothing about this makes any sense…"

"Well…what you just said actually doesn't make any sense," Korra answered, giving Asami an honest look. "You don't hate Kuvira; you hate what she did. There's a huge difference. If you actually hated _her_ then you wouldn't be having these issues with your feelings right now."

"I just can't believe that, out of all the people I know, it had to be her," Asami whispered. "I mean, what will our friends think of me if they find out?"

"You're getting too ahead of yourself, Asami. You need to take this one step at a time. Love works in weird ways, and you never know, this might work out between you and Kuvira, and it might not," Korra said back, giving her shoulders a small shrug. "But the more important thing right now is helping the people of Ba Sing Se. I think, with you and Kuvira working together, you two will really be able to work things out and maybe…experiment a little and see how a relationship would play out between you two when, ya know, she's not in prison."

Asami managed a soft chuckle at Korra's last statement, and after a few moments she gave a small nod of her head. "You're right Korra. I need to focus on helping the lower ring first. I know Kuvira will want to do that too. Thanks for talking to me about this."

"No problem! You know I'm always here for you. Trust me Asami, I love you and I love Kuvira. I want the best for both of you. I think that…if you work through your feelings about what she did almost three years ago, you'll be able to really move into the future and have something with her."

* * *

"Good morning to my three favorite ladies!" Prince Wu greeted as Kuvira, Asami, and Korra walked through the doors of the large dining hall of the palace.

Kuvira just rolled her eyes, which was her general response to basically everything Wu said and did. Korra smiled and greeted him back, and Asami just acknowledged him with a small nod.

"I have news from my guards that there's an area in the western end of the lower ring that has been ravaged by bandits. Homes that were just rebuilt have been destroyed, and people have been robbed of what little they had left," Wu continued, his voice more serious now, which came as a surprise to Kuvira.

"Have the bandits left?" Kuvira asked, eyeing a bowl of fruit that had been set in front of her by the chef.

"Oh no…the bandits have basically taken over everything there: the small homes that are left, the businesses, and the supplies," Wu answered, shaking his head sadly. "I'm glad that I have you to help with that though. Bandits fear you, Kuvira. You kick their asses all the time!"

Once again, Kuvira rolled her eyes. "I just know how to handle them," she said back, taking a handful of grapes and popping a few into her mouth.

"Then it's a good thing you're here," Wu replied, and he leaned back in his chair a little, but he soon yelped in fear and clung to the edge of the table as his chair nearly tipped over. "Whoa…I almost died…"

"Then don't do that," Korra said with a small laugh. "By the way, where's Mako? I thought he was still your bodyguard?"

"Oh, he is! But I don't need him constantly by my side anymore. I've learned a few survival techniques from him. He just went back to Republic City to help Lin with a new case."

"Oh yeah? That's good for him then. When is he getting back?" Korra smiled a little, feeling glad that her friend was at least back at doing what he loved.

"Probably in a few weeks," Wu answered. "It just depends on how long the case takes them."

Korra nodded and looked to Asami. "Won't that be great? We haven't seen Mako in a few months."

Asami smiled and set down her glass of water. "Yeah…it sounds like he's doing well though. Plus, if he comes back while we're still here, he can be another person to help us rebuild."

"Oh come on Sato, have some faith in me," Kuvira teased, shooting Asami a playful grin.

"I have no doubt that you will be able to get all these new homes built in one month," Asami said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Hey…you have Korra too. We're earth bending masters. Of course we'll get it done," Kuvira answered, giving Korra a proud smile, one that the Avatar only returned.

"I know that, doofus," Asami said back with a roll of her eyes. "But that's not what I'm worried about. I have some plans to reinforce the homes with platinum. That way, it'll be harder for the bandits and anyone else to destroy them. The platinum will give the new homes a stronger foundation throughout it. But I need more people to help establish it."

Kuvira waved her hand and let out a small breath of forced air. "Don't worry about it. I'll get it done. I'm no master, but I think I can handle it."

"Wait, what?" Asami and Korra questioned at the same time, and even Wu gave Kuvira a puzzled look.

"Oh…shit…I didn't tell any of you…"

"Tell us what?" Korra asked.

"I can bend platinum."

"What? That's impossible!" Asami exclaimed. "Platinum is too pure for anyone to bend."

"Yeah, well…I figured out a way to do it," Kuvira said. "When they put me in prison, the engagement ring Baatar had given me was platinum, obviously. Sometimes I would wonder if it could be possible, if maybe, I could be the first metal bender to do it."

"No way…prove it," Wu said from his position across the table.

Kuvira huffed out and stood up. "Fine…" she mumbled, and she left the dining hall. She was only gone for a couple minutes, and when she came back, she was holding the engagement ring.

"You still have that?" Asami asked, feeling a flare of jealousy go up inside her.

"I kept it to practice," Kuvira said, and she gave Asami a knowing look, trying to silently tell the young engineer that there was nothing to worry about, that her having the ring really didn't mean anything. Because it didn't. Baatar Jr. and her were only friends now…if she could even call them that. Their contact with each other was still strained, and Baatar had been able to move on with the help of his family.

"Alright 'Miss I can bend platinum now,'" Korra said with her usual dorky grin. "Show us what you got."

Kuvira rolled her eyes but smirked back at Korra nonetheless, another action that made Asami even more jealous. Not that she had any reason to be. But knowing Korra's past feelings for the metal bender and knowing how close their friendship was, it still made it hard for Asami to believe that absolutely _nothing_ happened between them at all.

"Like I said…I'm no master, but I think I have enough skill to help Asami with reinforcing the new buildings with it," Kuvira replied as she placed the ring in the palm of her hand.

She took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes for a moment. She was still getting used to connecting herself to the element of the pure metal, but it only took her a few moments before she felt that connection, and when she pulled her hands apart, the platinum ring rounded and smoothed into an elongated rod. She compressed her hands shortly after, turning the platinum into a perfectly round ball.

"Holy shit…" Korra got out through her amazement.

Asami and Wu had the same expressions of pure astonishment on the faces as well, and Kuvira glanced up, surprised to find all their faces so intense.

"That's incredible," Asami commented after Korra.

"I still need some practice, but I think I can excel at it," Kuvira said, a humble smile now plastered on her face, and Asami couldn't pull her eyes away from the metal bender.

"How though?" Korra asked. "Like, how were you able to bend platinum?"

"It must have been something learned when I first began metal bending," Kuvira answered. "When metal benders are taught, they're told to connect to the small bits of earth inside the metal, which is why platinum was impossible for any of them to bend: because it's so pure. There's no earth to connect to at all in it. But, I think I connected with _just_ the element of metal. When I used my metal bending, I never searched for the earth engrained in it, no matter how small those pieces might have been. I just felt the metal. I felt the element in its purest form, and that's how I think I was able to learn how to bend platinum. I dedicated myself to connecting with metal, not earth."

"Spirits, you're amazing."

Kuvira smiled at Korra's comment. For some reason, it always humbled her whenever Korra complimented her. Even though they were best of friends and would always be there for each other, Kuvira still held the utmost respect for Korra given her Avatar title and her talent with the four major elements, so to hear Korra praise her gave her the best feeling sometimes.

"Wait…when exactly did you figure out you could platinum bend?" Asami asked, and she raised a curious brow at Kuvira.

"Uhh…about a year into my imprisonment," Kuvira answered.

"And you never tried to escape?" Wu chimed in.

"Why would I want to escape?" Kuvira said back, giving a genuine smile to both Korra and Asami. "When Korra visited me about a month after I was put in prison, I had a new sense of hope that maybe, one day, I could redeem myself for the mistakes I made. And then one day she brought Asami with her. They turned into the only two people I had left for comfort. Why would I want to escape that?"

Asami couldn't help the deep blush that spread across her cheeks at Kuvira's words. Everything the metal bender said and did only caused Asami to fall deeper in love with her. Even though she hated the feeling, she knew she couldn't get out of this.

"Well…that will come in handy when we're building those new homes," Asami said, trying to distract herself from her feelings and the fact that both Wu and Korra had probably noticed her blushing when Kuvira did…anything really.

Kuvira nodded and shifted her eyes to Asami. "I'm just glad I'll be able to help people now."

"Plus…this kinda makes you the most powerful metal bender…ever," Korra added. "I mean, if people see that you can platinum bend…that's a whole new level of respect they're gonna have for you."

"I suppose…but it also means I'll probably be moved to a wooden prison," Kuvira said back.

"Yeah, and then you'll learn how to bend wood too," Korra playfully retorted, and the trio shared a small laugh, but in all of their minds they knew it probably would be true if it happened.

"We should head out now if we want to get a few homes built by the end of the day," Asami said, and she stood up from the table, a few of Wu's personal servants gathering up their plates and glasses and taking them away.

Kuvira and Korra nodded, and all three of them followed Wu out of the palace.

"So…" Kuvira started somewhat awkwardly as she looked to Asami, her eyes shifting up slightly to accommodate their small height difference. "What kind of homes do you have planned for the people in the lower ring?"

"Well…first we have to see just how many homes were damaged. If we can repair some of them then we will. But, I'm thinking about just building more apartments. That's what they had before, and there's really not enough room to build a lot. Plus, I'm sure that's what they'll want too."

Kuvira nodded as they walked onto the small airship waiting for them in front of the palace. "It's crazy how after all these years, things in the lower ring are still so bad," Kuvira commented.

"I have to say though, you did a really good job of stabilizing it just enough when you took power," Wu said, giving Kuvira an encouraging smile.

"He's right," Korra added. "When Zaheer took out the queen, everything was pure chaos, and I'm sure you quickly figured that out. But from what Tenzin told me the few times I saw him during my recovery, you made a lot of improvements. Crime dropped, more people were getting back on their feet, and it was easier for people in the lower ring to earn a decent enough living to move into the middle ring. Don't sell yourself short and only focus on your mistakes…you did a lot of good things for the Earth Nation."

The ride to the lower ring wasn't long in the airship, and they soon landed in an open pavilion area of the western end. And true to Prince Wu's words, there was a lot of damage. Most buildings were caved in either partly or all the way, some were completely destroyed altogether, and the amount of people living on the streets was nearly overwhelming for Kuvira. From her own experiences on the streets as a little girl abandoned by her parents, she wished no one had to live like that, but it was a harsh inevitability to face.

The sight was dreary and depressing. Most of the people walking through the torn up streets had tattered clothes and looked way too thin for their age. However, once the airship landed and the people saw Kuvira step off, the shift in mood of the small area was drastic. Smiles were planted on people's faces, and there were the occasional cries of joy at seeing the person who had once brought so much positive change to their lives.

"You think everyone hates you, but these people hold nothing but admiration for you," Asami said quietly as she walked up next to Kuvira, and she gave the metal bender a small nudge, prompting Kuvira to look at her.

"I doubt they even know what I did. If they did…they wouldn't be reacting this way," Kuvira mumbled.

Asami rolled her eyes and took Kuvira's hand in her own, not caring at this point if anyone noticed. "Like Korra said: stop selling yourself short. True, you made a lot of mistakes, especially when it came to Republic City, but you pulled Ba Sing Se out of pure chaos. People here felt comfortable under your rule, and they knew you would do anything you could to help them."

Kuvira nodded, but she didn't respond. Asami could tell the metal bender was getting lost in her mind again, which was something she hated to see. But Kuvira was Kuvira, and she was going to do whatever she did, and Asami couldn't stop her. It drove Asami mad sometimes though. She wished she could just pull Kuvira up from this hole she had dug herself into, but she knew that Kuvira could only do that for herself. It would be a hard battle no doubt. Asami had seen what the mental trauma had done to Kuvira. But Asami believed that Kuvira would pull herself out of this, no matter what.

* * *

Asami had been intrigued by many things in her life, but watching Kuvira earth and platinum bend had her completely transfixed. Kuvira moved with such a poise and grace. It made her seem unstoppable and invincible. The way Kuvira was so effortless in her motions had Asami enveloped in the beauty of it all. Asami also found herself unable to tear her eyes off the rippling yet lean muscles in Kuvira's arms and shoulders with each movement by the metal bender.

Kuvira quite literally turned heads of the people surrounding them when she began to bend the platinum that would be used to reinforce the apartments. No one knew how it was possible, but indeed, Kuvira was now the most powerful metal bender ever.

With Kuvira and Korra working diligently throughout the day, they were able to get about half of the first apartment building completed. At this rate, they would be done with the four total buildings they were tasked with constructing in a week.

"Phew…that was more tiring than I had expected it to be," Kuvira said, a few small pants escaping her as she took the flask of water Asami handed her.

"Well…you didn't use your bending for a while," Asami answered, giving Kuvira a slightly sympathetic look. "That's understandable. But you looked fine. At least, from what I gathered since I'm not a bender or anything."

Kuvira smiled at Asami's words, the small encouragement meaning a lot more to her than Asami would ever know. In fact, Kuvira would never admit it, but she needed small compliments like that. Even while she was constructing the apartment building, she felt a little rusty, especially with the platinum. It had taken her a solid ten minutes just to connect herself to the metal, and even when she did, her work with it was still slow. And as Asami had said, it was understandable. But for Kuvira, it only meant she was weak…or at least, not as strong as she used to be.

It made sense. She had lost a little weight in prison, but she was still able to maintain her athletic build by doing crunches, push-ups, and a few other things in her solitary confinement room. But still, Kuvira wanted to get stronger instantly, even though she was smart enough to know it would take some time no matter what.

"I'm surprised we haven't run into any bandits yet," Kuvira commented as the trio began walking back to the airship.

"We will soon," Korra answered. "They usually do their damage at night when it's harder to identify them."

Kuvira growled out in frustration. "I just want to kick them out of here. These people need their possessions back. It's all so unfair to them."

"You can't do everything at once," Asami said. "Get these apartments finished, and then worry about the bandits."

"Fine…" Kuvira mumbled, and both Korra and Asami shot questioning looks at each other.

"Is everything okay?" Asami asked, trying to keep her voice soft so she wouldn't provoke Kuvira. Spirits knew how easily that could happen, especially with whatever this push and pull relationship that was going on between them was. She knew how unstable their emotions were around each other, and if Kuvira snapped at her now, there was a very high chance she would snap back.

"I'm fine…just drop it," Kuvira said, her tone a little harsher as she walked onto the airship.

So Asami did just that: she dropped it, and she fell behind the metal bender, walking next to Korra now.

"What has her wound up so suddenly?" Korra asked quietly, occasionally glancing to Kuvira, who was now standing by one of the airship's windows, looking solemnly out at the lower ring.

Asami shrugged and furrowed her brows in confusion, her green eyes darkening slightly as she thought. "I'm really not sure. If I had to take a guess though, it might be that she was reminded of something from when she was the Great Uniter."

"Ah…well, those will always be hard memories for her to handle. The best thing to do is let it wash over. She'll be okay tomorrow," Korra answered.

"But what if she's not okay tonight?" Asami looked back at Korra with worry in her eyes now.

"Asami, when she said to drop it, she meant it." Korra's voice was harder, more serious, and Asami thought Korra's eyes would eventually drill holes into her own with how stern her gaze was. "I know that you care about her…a lot…but if you go after her tonight with questions and things like that, she'll only get mad at you."

"I know…I just worry…ever since that night she tried - ,"

"Don't remind yourself of that," Korra cut in. "You mean too much to her for her to try something like that again. She wouldn't want to leave you."

Asami couldn't help the smile that came to her face at hearing Korra talk about Kuvira's feelings for her. It was a nice reminder to have. Even after the kiss between her and Kuvira, she still wondered if the metal bender truly felt the same way for her. Asami wondered if Kuvira also had the same regrets about her feelings, if Kuvira thought that this was wrong, that they shouldn't love each other, that this could tear them apart.

But, Asami figured, that was a conversation for another day.

* * *

Kuvira had waited until she was sure everyone on the airship had gone to sleep for the night. By the time she had deemed it okay – at nearly one in the morning – she made her way silently to the entrance of the airship, and sure enough there was a guard.

"Let me out," Kuvira said, and the guard immediately fell into defense mode.

"Relax, it's me, Kuvira," she said.

"Why are you asking me to do that?" he returned.

"I need some fresh air. There has to be another way out of the ship. Opening the main hatch will wake everyone up."

The guard raised an eyebrow. Clearly, he wasn't convinced. "How do I know you won't try to escape?"

Kuvira rolled her eyes and stepped towards him, and he took a step back. Kuvira smirked. She still had the ability to intimidate someone without even doing much.

"I don't want to escape. I think I've made it pretty clear that I'm here to help. Ba Sing Se means a lot to me…I want to stabilize it as much as anyone. I'm not asking for a lot…just twenty minutes outside."

After a few moments of tense silence, the guard nodded. "There's the emergency hatch. I can disable the alarm."

Kuvira nodded, and she followed the guard as he led her down a level on the airship.

"Why don't you want anyone knowing you're out?"

"It's one in the morning. I don't think they'd appreciate it," Kuvira answered shortly.

The guard just nodded. He was unsure of why he was even granting Kuvira her request, but he figured no harm could come from it. Besides, even if Kuvira tried anything on him or if she tried to escape, there would be no place for her to go.

Once the emergency alarm was disabled and the hatch was opened, Kuvira dropped onto the rough ground. She smiled once her bare feet hit the earth, the ground cooler in the night now as the summer season began to fade into autumn.

Kuvira took in the night sky, and endless black void that stretched on for how long, no one would ever know for sure. The stars were bright. Kuvira saw a lot more of them out here than she did in Republic City. She figured that was because of all the lights in the big city, whereas out here there were only the occasional street lamps, not nearly enough to pollute the air.

She noticed that the guard wasn't behind her. He must have gone back into the airship. _He sure is putting a lot of faith in me,_ Kuvira thought.

Kuvira sat on the ground, tracing her fingers in small patterns along the earth, and eventually she found herself lying on her back, gazing up at the stars again. She had never felt so at peace before. Even when she had meditated with Korra those few times, she had still been in prison, and that was always enough to rattle her from the inner peace she had been trying to attain.

But now, out here, all alone, Kuvira felt free. She wasn't thinking about her prison sentence. She wasn't thinking about her feelings for Asami. She wasn't thinking about…well…anything. Her mind was just blank. And there was something about that that calmed Kuvira's spirit.

"Can't sleep either?"

Kuvira jolted upright at the sudden voice, and she stomped her foot on the ground, raising a small boulder from the earth.

"Whoa…relax. It's just me."

Asami's familiar voice calmed Kuvira, and the metal bender let out a small huff of air as she set the boulder down.

"Sorry…" she mumbled.

"It's okay. I kind of snuck up on you," Asami said. "So…what are you doing out here at this hour?"

"I feel like I could ask you the same thing."

"True. I couldn't manage to fall asleep."

"How come?"

"Thinking…"

"A yuan for your thoughts, perhaps?" Kuvira grinned a little as she dropped into the lotus position on the ground, and Asami joined her shortly after, stretching out her legs on the cool ground.

"You," Asami answered. "Just…you. Ever since we kissed, I haven't been able to stop thinking about what's going on between us."

"What do you mean?"

"What are we?"

Kuvira was taken by surprise by how straight forward Asami was being with the subject. They had always skirted around the core of their issues with their feelings for each other, or they had simply run away from them. Either way, they never actually talked anything through with each other. But now Asami was making an effort to _start_ talking things through. She knew that if they continued to play this game of guessing how the other felt, they would accomplish absolutely nothing.

"I…I don't know," Kuvira answered. "What do you want us to be?"

Kuvira looked back at Asami, her gaze steady but inquisitive as she tried to figure out what was going through Asami's mind right now.

"Something more," Asami said, her answer not yet finished. "I think we both know we have stronger feelings for each other. I just…I can't make up my mind. I want to be with you but at the same time…it all feels so wrong."

Kuvira could have sworn she felt a pain strike through her chest at Asami's words, but nonetheless, she had to respect what the young engineer was saying.

"I completely understand your hesitance," she said back softly. "I think about that same thing a lot. How could we possibly make this work given our history with each other, given what I did to you? It's been over three years now, and I know you haven't forgiven me…I don't blame you. I haven't even forgiven myself."

"Then maybe that's what we should work on," Asami replied. "Maybe you should forgive yourself first. I think that would make it easier for me to forgive you too. Seeing you drown yourself in your memories of the time when you were the Great Uniter only makes me hold onto that time as well. I think if you learned to let it go and move on, it would help me do the same."

Kuvira nodded in understanding as she held Asami's gaze. She was still trying to figure out what the young engineer was thinking. It was hard though. They were both good at hiding their true emotions. Neither of them is an open book. Kuvira thought maybe that was another reason to why they were struggling to start a more…intimate relationship with each other. How could they be together when they could barely tell each other what's on their mind without exploding on each other?

Asami never pulled her eyes away from Kuvira's. Both women sat there for what seemed like forever, just looking into each other's eyes, trying to figure the other one out. It was impossible.

Sometimes, Asami tried to tell herself that she was just physically attracted to Kuvira. She tried to convince herself that there were no feelings involved here. She was simply lusting after Kuvira, wanting her, needed her in a physical way.

Anyone could see that the metal bender was lean, toned. She had sharp features. A definitive jawline. High cheek bones. Eyebrows that could kill. And then there were her eyes. A deep emerald that was so mysterious, held so many secrets. Sometimes they were dark, cold, closed-off. Other times they were warm, inviting, knowing. Asami had experienced all of those things flash across Kuvira's eyes. In a way, she felt privileged. She doubted many other people saw the true compassion that sat behind the wall Kuvira had built around herself.

She could only think of one other person who had truly seen Kuvira in her most vulnerable state: Korra. Asami hated that she still felt jealous whenever she remembered Korra's feelings for Kuvira. Even though Korra had told her that she had moved on, Asami didn't think that was true. Kuvira didn't seem like the kind of person someone could get over so easily.

In some ways, Asami felt as if something _had_ happened in the past between Korra and Kuvira. It wasn't glaringly obvious. But Asami noticed. The small but comforting touches, the lingering gazes, and even the way they effortlessly bantered with each other. Asami knew she shouldn't be thinking like that. But she couldn't help it.

"Let's go back into the airship," Kuvira said, rattling Asami out of her thoughts.

"Oh…yeah…"

"Something on your mind again?" Kuvira went back to the emergency hatch, which had been left open by the guard, with Asami following close behind.

"Are you sure nothing happened with you and Korra?" There. The words were out. She hated asking the question, but she needed to be sure.

"Of course. Asami, Korra never acted on her feelings for me. I can assure you of that," Kuvira answered, and Asami heard the honesty in her voice. "I swear, I would have told you if something did. Besides, I'm sure Korra would have been gushing about it to you if we had been a couple at one point."

Asami nodded. Kuvira was right. Given how Korra usually was with her feelings, she wouldn't have kept it secret from Asami of all people if she had been in a relationship with Kuvira.

"I believe you. I just…"

"I get it, Asami. Really, I do. But you have nothing to worry about. My heart is set on you…nothing can or will change that."

Kuvira nodded to the guard in silent thanks as he closed the hatch, and soon Kuvira was standing in front of Asami's room. She didn't really know how she should part ways with Asami. She figured a kiss might be okay, but then again, she wasn't sure.

"Can you stay?"

Asami's question was so sudden that it caught both of them off guard.

"Uh…"

"Like, can you stay with me tonight?" Asami asked, trying to straighten out her feelings as much as she could. She wasn't succeeding too much at it though.

"Yeah…sure," Kuvira answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't want to push you if you don't feel - ,"

"No, no…I mean, yes, I do…I-I want to stay," Kuvira got out, albeit tripping over her words, which was not something she normally did. Yet, Asami seemed to always bring out a lighter, dorkier side to her.

Asami smiled and blushed slightly as she took Kuvira's hand, pulling the metal bender into the small bedroom. Once the door locked behind them, Kuvira stood in front of the bed, swinging her arms awkwardly at her side.

"Uh…should I…"

"You can take some of your clothes off, Kuvira," Asami said with a small giggle. She found Kuvira being flustered like this all too adorable. "I mean, I certainly won't oppose to seeing your body. Plus, it's not like we're going to…uh…yeah, anyway…" she trailed off.

Asami had already been in her night clothes when she went out to sit with Kuvira. However, Kuvira still had on her plain white tank top and loose green pants she wore while she was rebuilding the apartments earlier the other day.

Kuvira slowly took off her pants, figuring she would be fine in just her tank and underwear. But she couldn't help but feel as if they were stepping over yet another line, crossing another barrier in whatever relationship they had right now.

Kuvira was able to shrug off the weird feeling for a few moments as she slid under the covers next to Asami, and the young engineer turned on her side and looked at Kuvira, a frown on her face, but Kuvira could quickly tell that it was a playful one.

"Damn…I was hoping to see your abs tonight," she teased, giving Kuvira a wink as she poked the metal bender in her side.

"Ah…don't do that," Kuvira said with a soft laugh, and she took Asami's hand in her own. "Maybe another time…"

"I'll be waiting. Until then…goodnight, Kuvira."

Asami smiled and turned over, pulling Kuvira's arm with her, which forced the metal bender to shift in the bed so Asami's back was pressing against her chest. Kuvira made herself more comfortable, now resting her arm over Asami's waist, and the young engineer quickly laced their fingers together again.

Asami liked this feeling, of having Kuvira so close against her. She felt protected, safe.

She quickly fell asleep from listening to the sound of Kuvira's steady breathing, feeling the slight rise and fall of the metal bender's chest against her back.

Kuvira, on the other hand, stayed wide awake for most of the night. It took her a while to completely take in her surroundings. She was in bed with Asami, and they were…cuddling. The word felt so foreign to Kuvira. She could remember scarce moments in prison when she had cuddled with Korra. Korra had always been the one with her arms around Kuvira. The metal bender would admit that, at the time, she did need to feel protected, and Korra did just that.

But now was different. Now, Kuvira was the _protector._ Holding Asami against her now, it gave her a new feeling, something she couldn't necessarily describe. But it made her heart beat faster and it made her think about what the future held for her…for her _and_ Asami.

Kuvira held Asami's hand a little tighter, afraid that if she let go now, she would never get Asami back. She absentmindedly played with Asami's fingers, the non-bender was out cold, and Kuvira took the opportunity to shift her position a little. She looked down at Asami, a love-struck smile splayed on her face. She glanced down at Asami's hand, wondering what it would be like to see Asami with a ring on her finger. She wondered what it would be like to –

Kuvira cut off her thoughts immediately.

_No…_ Kuvira quickly caught herself before she went any further, and she settled herself back down on the mattress. _I can't think like that right now._

In fact, they weren't even in a relationship with each other. At least, neither of them had said it was official. They couldn't rely on their own assumptions and deem that they were without talking it through some more.

Kuvira shook her head a little, clearing her mind, even if it was only for a moment, and instead she focused on the present. She was here, with Asami – the woman she had fallen in love with – lying next to her.

And that alone let Kuvira fall asleep with a smile on her face for the first time in over a year.

* * *

Kuvira woke up with a start to the loud pounding on the door. With a groan, she threw the covers off of her, and in the process her hand hit a solid body right next to her.

"Forget we slept together?" Asami asked as she sat up in the bed, smirking slightly to Kuvira.

The truth: Kuvira _did_ forget that she had stayed with Asami, but she couldn't admit that.

"Uh…sorry…I was startled."

"It's fine. I've been awake for a little bit anyway," Asami said back, and before Kuvira knew what was happening, Asami pulled her in for a soft kiss.

This…wasn't right, Kuvira thought. They shouldn't be acting all mushy and sentimental with each other yet. But the feeling of Asami's lips on her own made Kuvira forget about any hesitancy she had for the moment. Eventually though, Kuvira pulled away and got out of bed. She quickly put her pants back on and went to the door, another round of knocks sounding just before she opened it.

"Oh…hey, Korra."

The Avatar gave Kuvira a soft smile before her expression turned serious again. "Morning. I hate to be the 'bringer of bad news,' but we have a situation outside the airship. The bandits that basically own this area don't appreciate that we're here to help."

Kuvira set her jaw and nodded. "We'll handle them," she said.

"What are we handling?" Asami asked, walking up behind Kuvira. In that short time, Asami had managed to get fully dressed, wearing her usual Future Industries jacket, form-fitting black pants, and her black work boots. The young engineer noticed Kuvira's eyes move up and down her body, which was something she appreciated.

"Bandits in the area," Korra said, immediately leaning against the door frame and shooting a knowing smirk to both Asami and Kuvira. "But…I'll let you two take you time. It looks like Kuvira will have a fun time tearing those clothes off of you."

At that comment, Kuvira and Asami both blushed furiously, and Kuvira instantly tried to sputter out an explanation.

"Korra…I think uh, you're mistaken. _Nothing_ like that is uh, is going on between us…um, right now…"

"Right now…which means later it will."

"Korra! I swear - ,"

"Okay, okay…calm down. Jeez, can't I just enjoy the fact that you two _finally_ got it on? I mean, seriously, the sexual tension between you two is unbearable most of the time. I can't believe it took this long for - ,"

"Korra…nothing happened between us," Asami said, and she took Kuvira's hand as she slowly began pulling the metal bender in the direction of her room, knowing Kuvira would want to change into a clean pair of clothes.

"And nothing _will_ happen anytime soon," Kuvira said, only to receive another one of Korra's smug grins in return.

"Okay 'miss platinum bender'…whatever you say." Korra laughed softly to herself before she turned and walked the opposite direction, waiting for Kuvira and Asami by the main hatch so they could handle the bandits together.

"Nothing will happen?" Asami asked once they reached Kuvira's room, and the metal bender could see the hurt in her eyes.

"I…I didn't mean that Asami. You know I didn't. Spirits, we already kissed and…I don't know what that was last night, but that's not something people do if they aren't…never mind." Kuvira shook her head as she pulled out a plain green tank top and some black, loose-fitting pants. "We can talk after we deal with the bandits," she finished.

Asami turned away when Kuvira changed. Both of them knew it wouldn't be right at this point to see the other naked. That, Asami thought, could wait for another time.

Asami couldn't stand to admit it, but last night she had been craving Kuvira in a way she had never thought about before. When she felt Kuvira's arms around her, their bodies pressed together, Kuvira's cool breath hitting her neck on occasions as they slept, she couldn't help but wish their clothes were gone. She wished she had been under Kuvira, writhing and moaning the metal bender's name in pleasure as Kuvira –

_Damn it…_ Asami shook her head, and when she turned around Kuvira was fully dressed. She knew she needed to push those thoughts away. Besides, Kuvira was too shy with her own feelings. It would take a miracle for the metal bender to take more initiative like she had with their first kiss. But, Asami thought, if Kuvira was in the mood, then maybe she would have no problem taking control.

* * *

Korra, Kuvira, and Asami made their way through a few small streets, and Prince Wu trailed behind them. He figured if he kept all three women in front of him, he would be completely safe from the bandits. In fact, Wu didn't even know why he was going in the first place. He should have just sent the Avatar to take care of it.

They arrived shortly at a beaten down motel building. But, compared to the rest of the area, this building was in top condition. They had been told by the citizens that this was where the bandits camped out and stashed all their money. The information was true, as once the trio approached the building, several bandits came out of the entrance.

"Well…it seems we have been graced with the Avatar's presence. Although, I must say, I wasn't expecting the world's most notorious metal bender to be accompanying you, Avatar Korra."

Korra instantly took the man to be the leader of this group of bandits. He was intimidating. Well…not to Korra. But he was as tall as Korra's father, and he had the same build too. His expression was hard and his dark green eyes remained still and cold. His brown hair rustled in the slight wind, and a tense silence settled on the group. Around them, people looked on, hoping that Korra could put an end to these bandits robbing them of what little they had left.

"We're here to get back the money you stole from all the people here," Korra said, keeping her voice firm. She knew reasoning with this man was impossible, but it was a way to annoy him and potentially provoke him to make the first move.

"You think we're going to just give it back? You know, Avatar Korra, we were suffering too. We were living on the streets and had no money. We were just lucky we were better earth benders than these people around us," he said, a small smirk playing its way onto his face.

"You've gone too far," Korra answered. "These people are starving. They have nowhere to go."

"Well…I guess if you want to get their wealth back, you'll have to take it from us."

And then they were outnumbered: eight to three. To any onlooker, it seemed unfair. But then again, they were fighting against the Avatar, a master metal and earth bender, and one of the most skilled woman in melee combat.

Asami had her Equalist glove ready. She and Korra had fought off a group of bandits before back when the Queen was still ruling. There was no reason they couldn't do it again. Plus, they had Kuvira, which made this fight all the more easier.

They spent a minute just staring each other down, waiting for the other to attack first.

It had actually been Kuvira to make the first move. She didn't do anything drastic, just kicked up a few rocks and launched them at the leader of the bandit group. He dodged them easily, and a cocky grin came to his face.

"Really? For a first attack, I'm surprised at how weak that was," he said, and he focused his sights on Kuvira, his other men converging on Korra and Asami, and they became engrossed in their own battles.

Kuvira didn't respond. Instead, she kicked up a few more rocks, sending them towards the man. She wasn't even throwing them as hard as she could. Rather, she sent them in different directions. She was studying the man's footwork instead.

Once Kuvira paused, the bandit quickly lifted his foot and slammed it into the ground, but Kuvira was already one step ahead of him, and she rolled out of the way well before a pillar of earth shot up where she had just been standing.

He gave the same attack she had thrown at him, except he fired the rocks harder and faster. Kuvira dodged them effortlessly though. That kind of attack was exactly what she had done in her earth bending training.

"You're solid on your feet," he commented. "For being in prison without bending for so long…I'm impressed."

He attacked quickly again, launching larger boulders now at Kuvira while sending a rippling wave of earth towards her feet. Kuvira wove through the oncoming boulders, and at the last second she pushed her hands towards the ground, a block of earth shooting up beneath her, propelling her into the air and over the ground attack.

Once she landed, she quickly locked her eyes on the armor plates the man had across his chest, sides, and back. She smirked.

"I know what you're thinking," he said, settling back into his earth bending stance. "Don't even try. They're platinum through and through. Even a master metal bender like you knows it's impossible."

"You see, when I was in prison, I thought about that word a lot," Kuvira answered, taking a few glances to Korra and Asami. They only had two men left, and she knew those bandits would be defeated soon. "And then I realized something…"

"Oh, I'm very interested. Do tell." He smirked as she shifted his foot forward, and Kuvira knew if she slipped up now, he would spring into attack mode, and it would be difficult to counter.

"Impossible…at least to me…is nothing."

Kuvira closed her eyes, breathing out slowly, and the bandit leader took the opportunity to strike. But before he could even move his hands or feet, he was crashing to the ground, his wrists and ankles bound tightly by his platinum armor. He looked up to see Kuvira with her feet wide, firmly planted on the ground, and her fingers relaxed from their curled position, but the platinum didn't budge.

"H-How?" he got out.

"Never mind that…you were foolish for even thinking you could win this," Kuvira said. "I admire your strength in your attacks, but you're very sloppy. You're too predictable. Plus, I could tell you underestimated me, which is always a big mistake."

"So…you're just gonna take all our money now and leave us the poor ones?" he growled, narrowing his eyes at Kuvira.

"We're not taking all of it," Korra said, walking up behind Kuvira. "We have to believe at least some of it is yours. But you have seven potato sacks in there filled with money…we'll be taking six of them."

"I have seven other people I need to share that with!" he shot back.

"Oh, cry me a river and drown in it for all I care," Kuvira said, rolling her eyes. "There are plenty of families here with just as many members who are starving. There are small business owners who need to rebuild their shops because you destroyed them. This city fell into chaos once Zaheer assassinated the queen, and bandits like you stealing from others only made it worse. If you just stopped and got by on what you had like everyone else, it would have made stabilizing things easier."

"Are you really here to help the Avatar, or are you just playing her so you can try to take over the Earth Nation again…Great Uniter?" he taunted, shooting a wicked grin to Kuvira.

Kuvira didn't even hesitate as she slammed her foot into the ground and thrusted her right hand forward, crashing a block of earth into the man's head, knocking him unconscious.

"Whoa," Korra exclaimed, resting a hand on Kuvira's shoulder. "Take it easy…he was baiting you into that."

"I don't care!" Kuvira snapped, shrugging off Korra's hand. "Who does he think he is? Accusing me of something so horrible. I would _never_ revert back to how I was. It's been almost four years now. Korra, I've changed. You know that. You know I'm here to help."

Korra gave Kuvira a soft but encouraging smile. "It's okay. You can't let people like him get to you. There are plenty of others who still think you're the Great Uniter, but I know you aren't. I've seen you through these last few years. I know how you've changed, how you've realized your mistakes."

Kuvira nodded and took a few deep breaths, and the trio made their way into the motel, collecting the sacks of money and giving it to Wu. The prince then began distributing a small amount of the money to the citizens around them based on how large or small the family was.

Wu had called in his royal guards to take the bandits into prison, and Kuvira helped Korra and Asami restrain them with platinum cuffs.

"Ya know…I'll still never get over how you stay so light on your feet as an earth bender," Korra said once they had helped the bandits into the police airship.

"I was a dancer in Zao Fu, remember? It helped a lot," Kuvira replied.

"But still, you're so agile, so quick. It's not common to see an earth bender have that style. I mean, even I get flat-footed sometimes when I'm earth bending."

"I guess that's why I kicked your ass way back when we fought outside of Zao Fu." Kuvira smirked and gave Korra a playful nudge, to which the Avatar just rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, I had just come back from a three year healing period," Korra said back, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm just giving you shit, Korra. I know you could hand my ass to me if we fought again."

"Yeah, well luckily that won't be happening. Now, I get to have you fight _with_ me." Korra smiled a little at the thought. "Which is awesome. I don't think I've mentioned that to you yet. You're such a talented metal and earth bender. Sometimes I'm jealous. I mean, I'm the Avatar and I can't even earth bend or metal bend as well as you."

"Well…you haven't been metal bending for that long," Kuvira said. "It took me a few years too before I really got the hang of it. If anything, you need to fully connect yourself to the metal. You can't treat it as a sub-element; you have to treat it as if it's one of the main elements."

"You should give me some pointers when we have time," Korra answered, a wide smile coming to her face at the thought of learning from Kuvira.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Man, that would be awesome! See, I never even had the chance to ask you in prison because we both knew they'd _never_ let you use your bending…even around me. But now that we're here, I'd love to get some advice from a metal bending master!" Korra had a look of pure elation on her face now, and it warmed Kuvira's heart to think that Korra still respected her so much as a bender given their close friendship already.

"Well…in that case, I'd love to help you out," Kuvira said, her voice almost carrying as much enthusiasm as Korra's, something that didn't go unnoticed by Asami who was trailing a few feet behind them.

Her eyes instantly narrowed. She knew she shouldn't be thinking that way. Korra and Kuvira were just friends. Kuvira even assured her of that last night. But still, Kuvira might not have feelings for Korra, but that didn't mean _Korra_ lost her feelings for Kuvira too along the way.

* * *

"Are you helping Korra with her metal bending tonight?" Asami asked as she stood next to Kuvira on the roof deck of the airship, both women looking out over the west end of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se.

It was remarkable how quickly the scenery changed. In the upper ring, there were mansions, expensive clothing and jewelry, and top of the line shops and businesses. But then, as the city shifted into the lower-middle and lower ring, that's where the poverty was glaringly obvious. People were living on the streets, homes were damaged or completely destroyed, shops were robbed, and people just managed to get by with the little money they had.

However, looking over the vast expanse of desert, both Asami and Kuvira saw the beauty. The rolling sand dunes cast large shadows over certain areas of the land, and the sunlight reflected off of the smooth surface of the sand.

"No. We were thinking of waiting until we return to Wu's palace. It'll be easier to train there," Kuvira answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I thought maybe we could sneak away tonight and go out somewhere. Just the two of us. On a date," Asami said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I'm not opposed to that. Where would we go?"

"The middle ring isn't far, maybe a few minutes' walk. There are supposed to be some nice, small restaurants a little bit east where the middle ring is actually doing well."

Kuvira nodded and returned Asami's smile.

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

Kuvira, considering she was technically still in prison, just on a temporary parole of sorts, didn't have many clothing options. She had been extremely nervous about that before she had gone out with Asami. She was the kind of person who wanted to look nice and classy if she was going out with a beautiful woman, especially if that woman was Asami Sato.

But, she had made it work. She just kept on her green shirt from earlier, and she had gotten lucky when Korra pulled through with a pair of nice, more form-fitting black pants.

Asami had just kept on her outfit she wore that day. Kuvira didn't mind at all considering Asami looked gorgeous in basically everything she wore.

They had gone to a small but seemingly popular restaurant in the middle ring. It was a little crowded, but Kuvira and Asami had found a table near the back of the place, away from most of the action.

It was nice though. The place had great food. Asami especially enjoyed their noodle soup, something Bolin had managed to get her basically addicted to a few years back.

Both women enjoyed themselves. It was a casual night for them, and it was the first time Kuvira could actually just sit back and relax without having to worry about returning to prison like all the others times before whenever she went out with Asami. It was nice, knowing they could take their time, talk, laugh with each other.

It wasn't until after they left the restaurant did Asami actually bring up their relationship. Well…at least, whatever qualified as a relationship between them.

"What are we doing?" Asami asked softly, linking her arm with Kuvira's as they entered the lower ring.

"What do you mean?"

"Like…with each other? Why do we keep falling into this pattern of opening up our feelings only to shut each other out right after?"

Kuvira took her time to think about her answer, and by the time she responded, a few minutes of awkward silence had passed, and they were almost back to the airship.

"I-I don't really know. Maybe it's because we're still unsure about getting into a serious relationship with each other? Maybe it's because we know we have feelings for each other, but there are still things we need to move on from? It could be a lot of things, but I think the main thing is that we're hesitant. We don't want to hurt each other because we both know we have the power to do that to each other."

Kuvira was so right it was almost scary. It was something Asami didn't want to think about, but she knew it was true: They could hurt each other. And they already had.

"But if we want to move on," Asami started, "We have to do that together. We _can't_ push each other away. We can either acknowledge our feelings straight on, or we can continue hiding from them, but I think we both know which one will hurt us the most."

Kuvira nodded as they approached the airship, and the guard opened the hatch for them. It was nearly midnight, and Kuvira would admit, she was tired. But she didn't want the night to end just yet.

"You're right," Kuvira said softly as she walked Asami to her room. "Maybe we should just take the dive into whatever this," she motioned between them, "Whatever _we_ are, and maybe it will help us figure things out. If it doesn't, then oh well. But if it does, then we can keep going at a steady pace together."

"I'd want nothing more than to spend the future with you Kuvira. I mean it. I love you."

The words came out so easily, so freely, and yet Asami knew how true they were. She knew how much she wanted something more with Kuvira. She knew it was wrong, and yet it all felt so _right._ Never before had she been in love like this. She had never experienced this kind of exhilarating, treacherous, dangerous love, and yet it thrilled her all the same.

"And I love you."

Hearing Kuvira say the words back immediately pushed Asami over the edge. In that moment, she knew this is what she wanted, _needed_ more than anything. Looking back into Kuvira's magnificent green eyes, Asami saw the pain, guilt, regret, and _love_ Kuvira held inside her.

And without a second thought, Asami pulled Kuvira's lips to her own.

They stumbled back into Kuvira's room. There wasn't much distance to go between the door and the bed considering the rooms on the airship were near tiny, but Kuvira and Asami took their time. They were completely lost in each other's embrace, and every time they parted their lips for air an article of their clothing came off.

Kuvira wasn't thinking about the past she had with Asami. She wasn't thinking about how she had hurt Asami while she was the Great Uniter. She wasn't thinking about whether or not she would regret this in the morning.

There was none of that.

Instead, Kuvira let her mind empty for a rare moment, and she knew now that this is what she _wanted._

So she let herself be carried away by the overwhelming feeling of what was about to happen. A part of her mind told her she shouldn't, but when Asami pulled her onto the bed, Kuvira never looked back.

* * *

Asami woke up early the next morning, and immediately she was confused. Why wasn't she in her room? Why was she naked? And why did she feel a sudden soreness between her legs?

It took her a few moments to grasp her surroundings, and then all the memories from the previous night came rushing back to her. The young engineer bolted upright in the bed, her breathing heavier and her heart pounding in her chest. The finality of what had happened last night didn't completely settle in until she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey…are you alright?" Kuvira asked, and Asami could have sworn she fell in love with Kuvira's low, raspy morning voice.

"Did…uh…we…last night…" Asami couldn't even get the words out in one coherent sentence, nor could she even bear to look Kuvira in the eyes right now.

"Yes. We did. Why? Do you regret it?" Kuvira sat up now and looked intently at Asami, waiting patiently for an answer.

_Do I regret it?_ The question kept playing over and over in Asami's mind.

On one hand, no, she didn't regret it at all. In fact, Kuvira making love to her last night was, quite probably, one of the best moments in her life. The way Kuvira kissed her, touched her, _loved_ her brought Asami the greatest amount of pleasure she could possibly imagine. And the way Kuvira had held Asami in her arms after the young engineer came completely undone beneath her gave Asami a sense of security and safety she had never felt before with anyone else…not even with Korra.

On the other hand, yes, she did regret it a little bit. Asami still wasn't over the fact that she had fallen hopelessly in love with the woman who had murdered her father. Yes, she knew that had happened nearly four years ago now, but there were times when the pain would surface stronger, when Asami would be overcome with grief that she didn't have any family left. And Kuvira had been the one to take that away from her.

But in the end, Asami knew that the real thing that mattered was the love she shared with Kuvira. She knew how much Kuvira cared about her. Spirits, Asami was certain Kuvira would _die_ for her if any situation like that presented itself. And, Asami realized, Kuvira didn't have any family left either. Sure, Suyin might have served as _some_ kind of family to Kuvira, but in the end, Kuvira had been abandoned by her parents at a young age and has never seen them since.

Asami shook her head. Her thoughts were so jumbled. There were so many reasons for her and Kuvira to hate each other, so many reasons why they shouldn't be together, so many reasons why last night shouldn't have happened, but at the same time there were just as many reasons why they fell for each other, why something about this felt right, and that's what mattered most to Asami.

"No…I can't say I regret it," Asami finally answered.

"But…" Kuvira raised an eyebrow a little, waiting for more to come.

"But I can't help but think, maybe it happened too early?" Asami lifted her head and looked into Kuvira's eyes now, and she could see the confusion laced through the metal bender's emerald orbs.

"Too early? Asami, it took us two years just to kiss each other," Kuvira said, keeping her voice calm despite the mixed emotions going through her right now.

"I know, and that was, what, barely a week ago? And last night we went out on our first _real_ date, and maybe we just…got carried away…"

"So you do regret it? Asami, I'm confused. First you say you don't regret what happened between us last night, but now you're saying that you think we should have waited. But wait for what, Asami? Wait until I go back to prison when you can only see me a couple times a week and when I have to be back by ten every night?"

"Kuvira, no…that's not what I meant. You're here for another four weeks. We have more time to go out and spend more time with each other and just be _together._ There's no prison, no guards watching over you all the time. We could have had more time to decide if this is what we really want," Asami replied, her voice growing a little desperate now as she could sense the slight anger coming through Kuvira's tone.

"Asami, if I didn't want what happened last night, I would have told you," Kuvira said, narrowing her eyes a little as she got out of bed and quickly threw on a fresh pair of clothes. "I hope you believe me when I say this, I would never regret that, not in a million lifetimes. Asami, I love you."

"And I love you, Kuvira, but we still have things that happened between us in the past that we haven't fully moved on from! We need to work through those past grievances before we commit ourselves to each other!"

"Before we commit ourselves? Asami, we had sex last night! How much more committed to each other can we get right now?!" Kuvira yelled back, turning and glaring at Asami.

The young engineer felt the daggers in Kuvira's gaze, and she merely shook her head as she got dressed.

"We need to work out our emotions together," Asami said softly, her voice cracking a little as she tried to hold back her tears. "We need to do that before we continue this…whatever this is between us. In the meantime…we can't do this, Kuvira. I can't give myself to you like that again until I know that we've moved on from the past."

"I think _you're_ the one who's still stuck in the past, Asami." Kuvira kept her gaze hard and her jaw set, her eyes unmoving as she looked back at Asami. "I think _you're_ the one who truly needs to move on from what happened. We both know that won't be easy, and we both know the pain from losing your father at my hand will be with you the rest of your life. But you said it yourself, Asami, that you're giving me a second chance, that you've seen how I've changed, that you know I'm not the Great Uniter anymore. But you have to face your own feelings head on too.

"I'll always be honest with you, I'm still working on forgiving myself, I'll admit that, but at least I've faced how I feel about you. At least I know that I love you, no matter how many times the voices in my head tell me I don't deserve you or that you could never love me back. Sometimes I believe them, but then I remember that I couldn't help it. I couldn't help falling for you." Kuvira paused as she metal bended a few platinum strips around her arms, and then she walked to her room door. "Everything about you drew me to you, and I love every part of you, Asami. Falling in love with you…I'll never regret that."

And then Kuvira walked out, leaving Asami to her own feelings and emotions, and the young engineer knew that Kuvira was right about everything.

* * *

"Alrighhhtttt! Let's go build some apartments!" Korra exclaimed once she saw Kuvira exit the airship. She had been awake since early in the morning, and she had been practicing her metal bending while she waited for Kuvira. She was already covered in sweat, but she wasn't tired at all. In fact, she was looking forward to helping the people of the lower ring some more. Getting rid of the bandits the day before had felt so good.

Kuvira managed a small smile when she saw Korra. "Well…you're up and early."

"Yeah well, I didn't want to wake you. I mean…last night must have been tiring for you."

From the way Korra was smirking at her, Kuvira already knew she was in for it.

"Uhhh…" Kuvira trailed off, her mind going blank as she continued to look back at Korra's smug expression.

"It was either tiring for you _or_ Asami's voice is going to be really sore today."

At that comment Kuvira blushed furiously and hid her face in her hands, groaning out loudly as she shook her head.

"This is so embarrassing," Kuvira mumbled.

"Well, you two weren't really quiet about it last night. Plus, this is a small airship. The walls aren't necessarily soundproof."

"Korra…stop…" Kuvira shook her head again, and in another moment she snapped out of her flustered daze. "I'm not going to deny anything, but Asami and I aren't together."

"What? Of course you are! You two had sex last night!" Korra exclaimed, giving Kuvira an incredulous look. What the metal bender was saying wasn't right, Korra thought. There was _no way_ Kuvira and Asami could have spent the night together and not decide to be in a relationship with each other the morning after.

"No…we're not," Kuvira said back, letting out a small sigh, and Korra detected the defeat in her tone.

"This wasn't your decision?"

"It actually was. I mean, Asami…I-I saw the regret on her face when she woke up. She still hasn't gotten over what I did. I told her that I've moved on. I'm learning how to forgive myself for my mistakes, but she's the one still stuck in the past, and I wouldn't be in a relationship with her until she figures it out," Kuvira explained, not able to meet Korra's eyes.

"Wow…that's uh…that sounds cold," Korra said.

"Thanks for your words of wisdom."

Korra cringed at Kuvira's deadpan and motioned for the metal bender to follow her. "I'm just saying. I mean, didn't you think to talk it through with her?"

"What was there to talk through, Korra? She told me that a small part of her regretted it and I…I don't want to make her feel like she's obligated to be with me," Kuvira said back, looking down at her feet. "She needs to move on from the past."

"And you're the person who can help her do that." Korra gave Kuvira a soft smile, and the Avatar's eyes were filled with so much hope and knowing support that for a moment Kuvira _knew_ it would have been so much easier if she had just fallen for Korra too.

"How can that happen if all we do is fight and push each other away once we start getting close again?"

Korra breathed out softly as they reached the site of the now partially constructed apartment building. Luckily, no one had damaged it during the night, and Korra and Kuvira quickly set to work on laying out the foundation for the second half of the building.

"That's something you need to be more forceful about, Kuvira," Korra said as she pulled up a pillar of earth from the ground. "You need to sit her down and _make_ her face her feelings. If Asami keeps turning away from you she'll only be hurt more, and I know that's something you'd never forgive yourself for doing, even if it's indirectly."

Kuvira grunted out in response as she smoothed out the earth around the pillar, allowing Korra to raise a few more foundational pillars.

"You know I'm right," Korra said, looking over to Kuvira. "Look, all three of us are insanely stubborn. If you want to get Asami to confront her feelings for you _with_ you, you're basically gonna have to beat it out of her."

Kuvira raised an eyebrow at Korra as they stopped their earth bending. They had to wait for Asami to bring Kuvira the platinum so they could reinforce the foundations.

"Not literally!" Korra quickly jumped to recover from her previous statement. "I don't mean _actually_ beat her or anything. I just mean you have to be more assertive. Come on, I know you can do it with your whole 'I always get what I want' attitude. And don't lie, you still have that side of you."

Kuvira just huffed out as she stomped her foot against the gound, raising a fist to bring up a small block of earth, and she sat on it with another huff of frustration.

"You're brooding now," Korra commented, taking a seat next to Kuvira. "I don't want you to brood all day. So talk to me please…"

"I'd be surprised if Asami actually showed up today," Kuvira mumbled. "You're right though…I shouldn't have left her like that."

"Hey…" Korra put a hand on Kuvira's shoulder, and once the metal bender's deep green eyes were locked with hers, she continued. "You left because you knew that if you stayed things would have gotten worse. You were trying to save yourself and Asami from more pain. Sure, watching you walk away might have been hard for her, but if you two just fought…you might have said some harsh things, and sometimes that's harder to work through than this."

"I know…it's just…Korra, last night was so perfect and I-I could never regret that with her. I _love_ her."

"I know you do. I know how much you care about her, and she feels the same way. It might be hard to be convinced of that now, but she really does. Trust _me_ , Asami is smart. If she didn't want to have sex with you last night, she would have stopped you."

"But doesn't she know that it hurts me too?" Kuvira bit her lip. She felt tears coming to her eyes, which was embarrassing for her, because she never cried in public. But now she was breaking down.

Korra let out a soft breath and took her time thinking about her response. She knew how much Kuvira was hurting. She could see the pain in the metal bender's eyes.

"I think she realizes it at some point," Korra settled on. "Maybe she doesn't think about it at first because she's too caught up in her own pain, but once you leave, she knows. Kuvira, Asami doesn't think you're the Great Uniter anymore. In fact, a lot of people don't see you like that now. She knows you're hurting and she knows that she needs you, even though she might not admit it to you."

And then Kuvira felt a tears slip down her cheek. She didn't know why she was so emotional all of a sudden. In some ways she hated it; anyone could see the former Great Uniter in tears right now. But she also didn't mind it. It felt nice to just…let out some of the sadness she had always kept inside of her.

"I love her _so fucking much_ , Korra," Kuvira got out, her voice a little hoarse and just above a whisper. "The first night she asked me to stay with her…I-I was awake after she fell asleep and I…I was just imagining what it would be like to…fuck, Korra, I thought about _marrying_ her. I thought about what it would be like to propose to her and we can't even sort through our feelings for each other.

"Korra, this…this is fucked up. Love shouldn't be like this. Love shouldn't destroy you. I feel like my heart is already broken from this. And yet…I don't want it to stop. I need her too. I need her physically and emotionally. I need her to tell me that she loves me and not have a look of regret on her face once she does. I see it, Korra. I see how she physically _hurts_ from admitting it. That shouldn't happen…"

Korra pulled Kuvira into a soft hug, her free hand tracing patterns absentmindedly across Kuvira's back, and the metal bender found the action extremely comforting.

"No one said love was easy," Korra replied, her voice soft as she kept Kuvira against her. "But if you two really commit to each other and work together to sort through your feelings…it'll all be worth it…"

* * *

Unlike Kuvira, Asami _did_ brood all day. Even when she showed up to help out with the reconstruction of the apartments, she barely even looked Kuvira's way. Maybe she had done it intentionally just to see how Kuvira would react; in a way, Asami wanted Kuvira to come back to her and as her to talk. Or, maybe she had done it simply because she was upset with herself, and she didn't want to constantly look at the woman who had taken away the last piece of family she had, who had been the cause of her downfall, but who was also the person bringing her back up.

It was so confusing to Asami. So maybe she brushed Kuvira off during the day because she _did_ need time to herself to figure things out, even if she knew she needed Kuvira to help her with it.

Once they had finished working earlier in the evening, Asami had gone right back to the airship and to her room while Korra and Kuvira decided to stay out for dinner. She had been sulking, and even she admitted that it was somewhat immature of her to do. After all, she was nearly twenty-seven. She should be able to talk about her feelings with someone, _especially_ with Kuvira.

Asami had just been relaxing in her bed, drinking a cup of tea when the comfortable silence was interrupted by a knock at her door, quickly followed by Korra's voice.

"Asami?" Korra called out.

"I'm in here," Asami said.

"Um…can I come in?"

Asami sighed and set her tea on the nightstand. "Yeah, sure."

Korra entered the room and gave her best friend a soft smile. "Hey uh…Kuvira and I are going up to the deck. She's gonna help me with my metal bending, and then we're probably gonna spar. You wanna join?"

Asami took her time to think. Yes, she did want to join them, and maybe even spar with Kuvira to let out some of her frustration. But at the same time, she wanted to stay here and not see Kuvira for as long as possible. It was all so confusing for her.

"If you don't want to…that's totally okay. I uh, I know things are pretty rough between you and Kuvira right now, but…I think it would be good for you two to uh, ya know…actually talk to each other," Korra said quickly. "I don't want to pressure you into joining us up there, but the - ,"

"It's fine…I'll come," Asami said, cutting Korra off as she got out of bed, grabbing her Future Industries jacket as she followed Korra out of the room.

"Great! Kuvira will be so happy I got you to come out!" Korra blushed when Asami gave her a skeptical look, one eyebrow raised and her lips pressed into a thin line. "I-I mean…she'll probably be glad that you uh, um…joined us to spar…"

Asami's expression softened a little as they started towards the airship's deck. "I should be the last person Kuvira wants to see…" she mumbled.

"Nonsense," Korra said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Kuvira loves you. It…actually hurt her a lot that you didn't as much as look at her all day."

"Thanks for making me feel better about myself," Asami deadpanned.

"Jeez…those are the reactions I get from Kuvira whenever I say something about you two. It makes me wonder…" Korra tapped a finger to her chin in mock deep thought. "If you two would stop using me as a medium for your relationship problems and actually talk about things with each other…then mayyybeee you wouldn't be in this position."

"I get your point. It's stupid of me to push her away, but sometimes that's my first instinct, to just…get rid of the thing that's causing me pain. But Kuvira has given me much more happiness than pain in the time I've gotten to know her," Asami admitted as Korra opened the hatch to the covered observation deck.

"Well, I'd suggest working through those problems with her tonight. We only have a few more weeks until Kuvira returns to Republic City and Raiko puts her back in prison. You need to take advantage of the freedom you have with her now."

Asami sighed and nodded. She knew Korra was right about everything she just said. In fact, Kuvira returning to prison was something she really didn't want to think about right now. If anything, it just made her feel guiltier that she truly _hadn't_ been taking advantage of all the time they have to be together. Instead, she just kept pushing Kuvira away.

Even after Kuvira had made love to her, after the metal bender had stripped her down to her most vulnerable side but still made her feel safe and protected, after Kuvira said she loved her, Asami _still_ pushed her away.

It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair to either of them.

Asami opened the door and stepped onto the open deck of the airship, and her eyes instantly found Kuvira's. The metal bender managed a lighter expression, and Asami could see the smile tugging at the corners of Kuvira's lips, but Kuvira didn't let it happen.

Korra nearly grimaced at how awkward this already was, but she pushed it away and went over to Kuvira. She was here to get some metal bending tips after all, not to fix a broken relationship. That part of it could happen once she was finished. She even thought it would be a good idea to let Kuvira and Asami spar with each other. Korra figured both women would love to beat the shit out of each other right now and let out their frustration on each other.

"So um…you can just…chill for a little bit if you want," Korra said.

Asami nodded. "Yeah…I'll be over there. It's nice out. I'll just enjoy the fresh air."

Korra watched as Asami walked to the far end of the airship deck before she turned and went to Kuvira.

"I'm surprised she came up here," Kuvira commented, her eyes staying on Asami for a few more moments.

"Honestly, so am I. She's trying to act mad at you, but her resolve is breaking. I can tell it is."

Kuvira gave a curt nod as she turned her eyes to Korra. "Well…I can deal with her later. Let's just…focus on making you a better metal bender."

"Sounds like a plan Captain," Korra said with a small grin, giving Kuvira a playful salute.

"You're ridiculous. Anyway…get into whatever stance you use when you metal bend."

Korra nodded and instantly dropped into her earth bending stance, her feet planted firmly on the ground, her gait wide, and shoulders broader.

"Oookkayyy…" Kuvira drawled out. "Get into your air bending stance."

"Wait, what?"

"Your air bending stance. Ya know, the form you use when you're _air bending_ ," Kuvira said, sarcasm dripping in her tone.

"Okay…I'm just…confused about that…"

Korra shifted her stance, bringing her feet in and standing up a little straighter. Her arms were looser as well, out in front of her but not appearing big. She looked nimbler already.

"Sooo…why am I doing this again?" Korra asked.

"This is the stance you want to use when you're metal bending. Like I told you when you asked how I learned to platinum bend, you need to treat metal as its own element, not as a sub-element of earth," Kuvira answered. "Now…I'm going to throw some metal bands at you. Keep your air bending style and redirect them or use them for your own offensive purposes."

Kuvira took her position about thirty feet in front of Korra. She had brought the metal strips she usually used on her armor, and she lifted a few of them, keeping them hovering next to her.

"Don't go easy on me, Captain," Korra said with a playful wink. She knew how to play at Kuvira's competitive side, and she figured this would be a situation where she would regret it.

"I didn't plan on it, Avatar…" Kuvira nearly growled out, and within seconds she sent a few metal strips careening towards Korra.

The Avatar followed Kuvira's advice, staying in her air bending form. She wove through the metal strips, and she even sent a couple of them back towards Kuvira, but the other woman easily regrouped them and held them in the air around her.

"That's all you got?" Korra taunted, and she saw Kuvira's eyes narrow, and soon the metal bender began her second round of attacks.

Korra dodged the metal strips with ease. She remembered how, during her fight with Kuvira that time in Zao Fu, she had easily been defeated because she had tried to beat Kuvira with her earth and fire bending. She was too explosive and erratic. She needed to stay light on her feet the way she was now.

Kuvira switched up her attack now, sending one metal strip high and one low. Korra jumped over the one aimed at her feet and flung the strip going towards her wrist back at Kuvira, but she failed to notice a third metal strip coming right at her, and within seconds her vision was black.

"Ah!" Korra yelped as she was knocked to the ground by the force of the impact. "That was low!" she yelled at Kuvira as she peeled the metal strip off her face.

"You were focused too much on attacking me," Kuvira said. "You have to be more aware with metal. It's an elusive element." Kuvira went over to Korra and offered the Avatar her hand. Korra accepted, and Kuvira pulled her off the ground.

"So then how am I supposed to attack you if your own attack never ends?" Korra raised an eyebrow.

"It will eventually. You need to redirect my attacks and wait for the right moment to go on the offensive," Kuvira answered. "Also, you turned away from me. I get that sometimes in battle you'll end up backwards or something, but with metal bending, you need to try your best to face you opponent at all times. Like I said, metal can be more elusive than the other elements. It can be manipulated so it's smaller and faster. You won't always be able to detect it as quickly or as easily as some of the other elements."

"Try that same thing on me again," Korra mumbled, playfully shoving Kuvira away from her. "And stop making me look bad. I get that you want to impress your girlfriend, but I'm the Avatar."

Kuvira laughed and went back to her initial position. "You might be the Avatar, but I'm one of the best metal benders in the world. Don't feel bad."

"Will you just shoot those metal things at me already?"

Kuvira grinned and shook her head, but she did as Korra asked and started with a slow attack, letting Korra get into the groove of her metal bending. The Avatar deflected the metal strips, keeping them within her range of motion, and once Kuvira started the same attack that had stumped her last time, Korra shot the metal bands back at Kuvira.

And Kuvira wasn't wrong when she said she was one of the best metal benders in the world, because once she saw the metal strips flying right back at her, she instantly launched herself forward, and she slid under one of the bands. At the last second she pushed herself off the ground, kicked up one of her feet, and sent all three of the bands back to Korra in a horizontal line through the air. The Avatar ducked beneath them, but Kuvira had anticipated it, and she moved too quickly for Korra, because once she had regained her stance, the metal strips latched onto her wrists from behind, the third one wrapping around her eyes again, and Kuvira brought her to the ground with one swift downward motion of her arms.

"Ugh! Why do you have to be so good at this?!" Korra groaned.

Kuvira just laughed and took the metal bands off of Korra's face and wrists. And once she was freed, Korra swung her legs around, creating a low whip of wind that knocked Kuvira off her feet, sending the metal bender to the ground.

Kuvira yelped once her back hit the cool platinum deck of the airship.

"Exactly," Korra mumbled, and she stayed on the ground, enjoying the light breeze that flowed over her skin.

"What was that?" Kuvira lifted her head and looked at Korra for a moment before she dropped it back onto the deck.

"If I was allowed to use all four elements, I'd kick your ass."

"Well…if I'm recalling correctly, you _did_ use all four elements the first time we fought and I still kicked _your_ ass," Kuvira said back.

"Don't be a dick, Kuvira, once I went into the Avatar State you stood no chance."

"Hey, everyone knows the Avatar State is the most powerful thing on this planet. But just your regular bending…face it, Korra, you're extremely proficient in water and air bending, but with your earth and fire bending you're too predictable," Kuvira said, keeping her voice steady and she sat up, keeping her eyes on Korra.

"Then from now on I want you training me every day in earth and metal bending," Korra replied, a small nod confirming her determination on the subject.

Kuvira shrugged and smiled a little. "That's fine with me."

"And even when you're back in prison, I'm requesting that they let you train me."

"Korra…I doubt Raiko or Lin would let that happen."

"They will once I convince them to," Korra said, gritting her teeth a little.

"Well, I know nothing I say will deter you from doing that so…thanks? I guess."

"Thank me once I make it happen. Anyway…go fight with your brooding girlfriend."

"I don't want to fight with her anymore," Kuvira said back.

"No, I mean literally… _fight_ with her."

"No, Korra…I don't think - ,"

"Hey, Asami! Come here!" Korra called. "Kuvira said she wants to spar with you!"

"Are you insane?" Kuvira hissed out, glaring at Korra, a look the Avatar instantly backed away from.

But, Asami was already standing in front of them within a few moments.

"I uh…I never said that," Kuvira mumbled, keeping her eyes away from Asami.

Korra waved her hand and stood up. "Pfft…sure she did. She said she wouldn't use her bending. Just a melee sparring session between you two."

Kuvira groaned as she got off of the ground. "I think that's a bad idea. I don't want to hurt her."

"You know I'm standing right in front of you, Kuvira. If you have something to say to me then look at me when you do," Asami said, her gaze hard as her eyes finally met Kuvira's.

"Oookayyy well…I'm gonna get some water. Try not to kill each other please," Korra said quickly, and she nearly ran back into the airship. She couldn't handle the tension much longer, and she figured as long as she didn't hear anything explode, everything would be fine.

"So…" Asami started, resting a hand on her hip. "Afraid of hurting me?"

"Yeah…well, um…I just - ,"

"Save it, Kuvira. You've already hurt me, a few cuts and bruises from sparring with you won't mean anything at this point."

"I already hurt you…look, I'm sorry from walking away, but - ,"

"I don't want to hear it right now. You left me when you _saw_ that I was breaking down!"

"Do _not_ blame that on me!" Kuvira yelled back. "You were the one pushing me away! You were the one saying you regretted what happened last night!"

"Yeah, okay…and you're the one saying how we need to talk to each other about our feelings, yet you were the one who walked out!" Asami balled her hands into fists, her arms almost shaking with rage, her green eyes bright with a fiery anger. "You were the one who killed my dad right after I managed to forgive him! You should have stayed and endured whatever I had to say to you! But instead, you just walked away and made me feel even more alone!"

"Oh no…you do not get to talk about feeling alone," Kuvira nearly growled out. "You lost your mother at a young age, so did I. My father left us and then my mother was gone soon after. After your mom died, you had your father, your company, and then you had your friends. For fuck's sake, Asami, your best friend is the Avatar. You don't get to complain about feeling alone…at least not to me."

"Both of my parents were murdered!" Asami's voice was louder now, and she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. "Both of my parents were torn away from me and I had to watch it happen! Yours just left you the exact way you left me this morning! At least my parents _loved_ me!"

The moment the words were out of her mouth, Asami regretted them. She saw the look of pure hatred that washed over Kuvira's face, and in that moment…she was scared.

"Fuck you!" Kuvira yelled, and she instantly charged at Asami, slamming the engineer into the wall of the airship's observation tower. "You know _nothing_ about my parents!" She pulled Asami back, slamming her hard against the wall again, and Asami felt the wind knocked out of her lungs.

Once Asami steadied her breathing, she managed to bring one of her feet up, and she kicked it into Kuvira's stomach, knocking the metal bender off of her. Kuvira charged at her again, but Asami was ready. She dodged one of Kuvira's fists and deflected the metal bender's arm to the side, countering with a strong punch of her own directly to the center of Kuvira's nose.

Kuvira yelped out as pain flooded her face, and she felt blood leaking from her nose, soon dripping off her chin. She was rattled for a few moments, and in that time Asami kicked her feet out from under her.

Kuvira landed hard on her back, but she quickly regained her composure and extended her arm, flicking her wrist and sending two metal strips flying towards Asami.

Asami jumped back, dodging out of the way, but Kuvira was relentless.

"Just because my father didn't love me doesn't mean my mother felt the same way!" Kuvira shouted, launching the metal strips at Asami again, and the engineer just barely spun out of the way of the second one.

"My mother loved me with everything she had!"Kuvira continued, her own tears blurring her vision slightly. "She made up for everything my father wasn't. Every time I felt alone because my father barely even _acknowledged_ me…my mother was always there!"

Kuvira took a couple more metal bands, and she fired them at ragged intervals at Asami, and the engineer couldn't time herself well enough. She managed to dodge the first of the bands, but she wasn't able to anticipate where the next one was going, and she had to react at the last second, but one of the bands struck her along her jaw, drawing a deep gash on her face.

Asami nearly yelled out as the stinging pain engulfed her face, and she fell to her knees, clutching the left side of her face, and she saw the dark crimson spilling over her hand.

But Kuvira wasn't done. The metal bender pushed Asami onto the platinum flooring, and she grabbed the lapels of Asami's jacket.

"My mother loved me more than anyone ever could!" Kuvira tried to keep her voice strong, but Asami heard it cracking. "She always supported me and defended me!"

Kuvira slammed Asami back onto the ground, but Asami was too frightened and too weak to even fight back at this point.

"She never stopped loving me. Up until the day I watched her take her last breath…I knew she loved me and I knew she was proud of me! And I…I…"

Kuvira couldn't even get anymore words out as she suddenly collapsed against Asami's chest, still clutching at the engineer's jacket. Asami could feel the metal bender's entire body shake with her harsh cries, and soon enough she felt Kuvira's tears seeping through her shirt.

"And now I have you…someone who…could love me…un-unconditionally…and I-I hurt you Asami…"

Asami managed to lift her head just enough to see Kuvira's broken expression staring back at her, and she quickly dropped her head back to the floor, looking up at the darkening sky…either that or her vision was fading.

She felt herself being lifted off the ground. She knew Kuvira was carrying her. She wanted to tell Kuvira that she already forgave her, that she was stupid for saying those things, that she regretted every moment she pushed her away. But she didn't have the strength.

She didn't even remember when she blacked out.

* * *

"What the _fuck_ was that?!" Korra yelled angrily as she burst through the door of Kuvira's room.

The metal bender nearly jumped out of her skin at the harshness of Korra's tone, and she sat up in bed, wiping the tears from her eyes. The contact on her face sent small waves of pain through her nose. She had refused to let Korra look at it even though she was pretty sure it was at least fractured. In any case, Kuvira's own emotional breakdown was too strong that she completely forgot about her physical pain.

"I just spent two hours healing that gash on Asami's face. She's probably going to have a scar from it, and every time she sees it, she'll be reminded that it was _you_ who did that to her!"

"Korra, stop! I already feel guilty enough about it! I don't even know…I-I just snapped and…"

"And you could have fucking killed her if you didn't break down from your own grief!"

"Do you have any idea of what she said to me? Do you know what - ,"

"No…and right now, I don't fucking care."

"Korra…I - ,"

"Get out."

"What?"

" _Get the fuck out of here and go to Asami_!" Korra yelled, her voice carrying a new kind of ferocity Kuvira had never heard before. "You better fucking be there when she wakes up! You better fucking be the first person she sees every morning after this!"

Kuvira didn't realize Korra had even been advancing on her until the Avatar grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her until their faces were mere inches apart.

"And you better fucking _tell her the truth_ about what you did, because she might not remember all of it since she blacked out. I only knew what happened in the physical fight between you two…but you haven't told me why you snapped, and quite frankly, I don't want to hear it right now.

"But if I find out that you didn't tell Asami _everything_ the way you told me…I swear on Raava I will not let you see her again when you get back to Republic City. Hurting her is the _one thing_ you told me you never wanted to do. Well guess what…you fucking did, and if you ever hurt her again this way, not only will I not let you see her, I won't even let you contact her. No phone calls, no letters…nothing. And I'd do the same to her if she continues hurting you emotionally.

"I can't watch you two destroying each other. She hurts you emotionally and you lash out at her physically. For fuck's sake, I can't let you two stay together if this continues. Because you know what happens if a relationship like this _does_ go on? You two get used to it. You end up hating each other but you can't leave each other. You'll just keep going back for more until it's too late.

"You two have the potential to work through this and be _happy_ together. What you told me, about how you imagined marrying her…I'd want nothing more than for that to happen for you two. But by Raava if you keep hurting each other like this, I won't _let_ it happen, because I can't continue watching the two most important people in my life slowly killing each other inside."

Kuvira nodded, and she felt a tear slip down her cheek. Korra quickly wiped it away with her thumb, and she pulled Kuvira into a tight hug.

"I love you Kuvira…and I-I know that Asami makes you happy. I see your face light up whenever you so much as talk about her. Please… _please_ …I'm begging you, make things right with her," Korra whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Kuvira's forehead.

"I will…Korra, I promise," Kuvira said back. "I-I've never loved anyone this much before. What you said…about not letting us see each other. I believe you. I know you'd do that because you care so much about both of our emotions. But my heart physically ached when you said that. Just thinking about not having Asami in my life like that anymore…that's not something I ever want to experience."

"Then go…I was serious when I said to go to her," Korra replied, her voice softer now. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just upset and angry at _both_ of you…but really, go be with her. I know it'll make her feel better instantly if she sees you there when she wakes up."

Kuvira nodded, and she gave Korra one last hug before she stood up and headed to Asami's room.

* * *

Asami opened her eyes and instantly groaned once she was aware of the pounding in her head. It took her a few moments to get a grip on her surroundings, and she noticed that she was in her bed, and someone was sitting next to her.

"Hey…"

Asami smiled and felt her heart warm at the sound of Kuvira's voice, and she reached out, fumbling a little until she found Kuvira's hand. She felt the metal bender lace their fingers together, and she let her eyes adjust to the light filtering through the window of her room.

"Kuvira…what happened? I-I was on the deck with you and Korra last night and then…we started fighting…"

"Yeah…we uh, we had a pretty bad fight. You've been out since last night," Kuvira said. "I hurt you, Asami…"

"What happened though? Like…why were we fighting?"

"We said some things to each other…"

"Oh gosh…I'm so sorry. What-What did I say to you?" Asami had managed to sit up in the bed, and she was looking back at Kuvira, guilt already filling her eyes.

"Just…stuff about my parents…I did the same to you," Kuvira answered.

"No, like, what did I _say_?" Asami's gaze was intense, but her voice was laced with guilt, and a part of her didn't want Kuvira to answer her. If Kuvira had hurt her physically because of what she had said then it must have been serious.

"Well…you said that you weren't necessarily abandoned by your parents, that they had been torn away from you, and at least they loved you and didn't just leave you the way mine did," Kuvira said. She wasn't holding anything back from Asami. Even though she was certainly thinking about it, Korra's words echoed in her mind every time she did, and she knew the Avatar would hold up her promise of not letting Kuvira see Asami if she hurt the engineer again.

Asami sighed out, her shoulders falling a little as she glanced away from Kuvira. "I…I don't even know what to say," she whispered back. "I'm sorry is sort of an understatement."

"Asami, I forgive you. You were upset and…I understand that sometimes we say things we don't really mean when we're angry. Sometimes - ,"

"No, Kuvira…it was _wrong._ I had just assumed that, because you were abandoned, your parents didn't love you. I shouldn't have done that, and I certainly shouldn't have used it to hurt you, no matter how angry I might have been. You…You had every right to lash out the way you say you did."

Kuvira shook her head and rested her other hand over Asami's. "No…nothing excuses the fact that I physically hurt you. The emotional damage we do to each other is enough. You don't need the physical aspect of it too."

"Then let's actually keep our word this time," Asami says, reaching out and taking Kuvira's hand again. "Let's really work with each other. I know we've said that a lot and we've never followed through, but I-I want to apologize Kuvira, not just for what I said last night to you, but for how I've been treating you in general.

"It was easier for me when you were in prison. I saw you, we talked, we went out a few times…but this…this is so much different. Right now I can take a moment and realize what a life with you would be like. You were right when you said I was the one still stuck in the past. I was trying so hard to find a reason to still hate you and to convince myself I shouldn't fall in love with you. But I know that I can't do that.

"I fell in love with you because I got to know the person you really are. You are so kind, Kuvira. And you have so much love to give and it's never been returned. But I want to be the person to return it. I want to be the person to make you feel wanted again. I might have been stuck in the past, but you're still stuck in your mind, Kuvira. You're still being brought down by those voices and they still get to you and make you feel like you don't deserve me, like you don't deserve _love._

"But you deserve it, Kuvira. You deserve so much more than what life has given you. I've treated you so horribly when you've done nothing but show me kindness. You let yourself be vulnerable in front of me, and I only pushed you away after it. And I-I'm so sorry…"

Kuvira pressed a soft kiss to the back of Asami's hand, and she laced their fingers together. She took a few moments to study Asami's face. She saw the light bags under Asami's eyes; she could understand. Even though the last couple nights they had been able to sleep since they were with each other, the last couple weeks had taken a toll on them. Both women had often stayed up once they finished working on the new apartment buildings just thinking about their feelings for each other, and they wouldn't realize how late it was until they eventually dozed off simply because their bodies couldn't keep themselves awake anymore.

"And I'm sorry too," Kuvira whispered back. "I-I never could have predicted anything that's happened between us. The first time you visited me, I never would have thought I would fall in love with you. It's all been such a crazy, emotional ride for the both of us. I mean, we both know that everything between us has been unexpected. Every time we think we have something figured out with each other another thing comes up, another obstacle, and we have to work through it together.

"We've been through so much, both from our own lives and then from the pain I caused you, but I want you to know that I couldn't help falling in love with you. Sure, sometimes it feels unbearable and sometimes I feel like it will never work out, but when you look at me and smile, it gives me hope that maybe this time I can be happy…that _we_ can be happy."

A wide smile spread across Asami's face as she met Kuvira's eyes again. She would never tire of looking into the metal bender's eyes – a sea of emerald that Asami was always ready to dive right into. They shined brightly as the sun streaming through the window reflected off them, and Asami was suddenly filled with such an immense amount of happiness. Her heart swelled with love and pride at the fact that she had fallen for Kuvira just as much as the metal bender had fallen for her.

And Kuvira was right – as she always was: Asami could have never predicted this would happen. She always thought Kuvira and Korra would end up together, given the bond shared between the two women. And maybe Asami would never quite understand what Kuvira saw in her that she didn't see in Korra. But Asami knew _exactly_ what she saw in Kuvira.

She saw a woman who was broken and vulnerable, a woman who had been beaten down by not only those around her, but by her own inner demons, by the voices in her head. She saw a woman who was misguided and who made terrible mistakes. But then again, didn't everyone?

She also saw a woman who was strong despite all the adversity she faced. Asami remembered how people had instantly doubted Kuvira when they heard a young woman not even twenty at the time was trying to pull the Earth Nation together. But Kuvira had actually succeeded. She had found a way to persevere and get through all the roadblocks that stood in her way.

Asami admired Kuvira for that.

But the love Asami held for Kuvira was so much more than any feeling she had ever experienced.

And Asami started crying in that moment. She didn't know what came over her. One moment she had been smiling lilke an idiot back at Kuvira, and now she was burying her face into Kuvira's chest, her tears soaking the metal bender's shirt.

"Asami…wh-what's wrong?" Kuvira asked almost frantically, afraid she had done something wrong again.

Asami shook her head slightly before she pulled away and wiped her eyes, though they remained misty once she pulled her hands back.

"I just love you so much, Kuvira," Asami got out, her voice just above a whisper. "It's true that we can't know what the future will be like for us. You still have to serve the rest of your sentence and…I'm sure to have work and probably help Korra with her Avatar duties. But I just…I like to think that we can have something lasting with each other. I will admit that sometimes it's hard. We've been doing this push-pull thing too much, and it leaves me wondering whether you'll still love me tomorrow…and the day after that…and the day after that…"

"Asami, I will love you until I die. We'll never be able to explain or know just why we came to love each other the way we do now, but I'm so glad it happened. I feel like this is something in my life that can be stable. I can count on you, and that's something I don't really feel with anyone now aside from Korra. You're like my rock, Asami. Even though, I'll admit, you can drive me insane sometimes, you're still the one who can calm me down and bring me back to the real world.

"I want you to believe me when I say that now, realizing what my future holds and looking back on the mistakes I've made…you are the love of my life. Every time I see you, my heart flutters and my mind goes blank. You have this effect on me, and I can't even describe what it is, and it fascinates me yet terrifies me at the same time. But it makes my life beautiful in a way I never thought it would be. I want you to believe me when I say that I will love you, Asami…

"Always."

* * *

**A/N: Yes I put a note in the middle of this because I can do what I want xD Okay, so we have a large time jump here to focus on a more developed Kuvirasami relationship. So Asami is 31 now and Kuvira and Korra are both 30. However, I wanted to put some more trigger warnings for this part juuuussssttttt in case. They are: mentions of an abusive relationship – mainly emotional abuse, and mentions of cheating (I know it's not** _**really** _ **a huge trigger…but still, some people are affected by it.)**

* * *

_Five years later_

It was rough; Kuvira would admit that.

Keeping a relationship with Asami while she served the rest of her sentence wasn't easy. However, by helping rebuild the lower ring of Ba Sing Se and stabilize other sections of the Earth Republic, Asami, Korra, Tenzin, and Lin had made a case to President Raiko to reduce Kuvira's sentence. So now, she only had one more year left in prison and then she would be a free woman. Well…sort of free; she would still be under a "house arrest" of sorts for another five years. So basically, as long as she was in the custody of either Korra or Asami, she could go wherever she wanted.

Kuvira knew that she would live with Asami once that happened. Her girlfriend – yes, they decided to make it "official" with each other two years ago, even when they had already been through nearly three years of a dedicated relationship to each other before it – had made it quite clear that Kuvira would be staying with her in her mansion. Kuvira wasn't opposed to the idea at all.

Even though they were undoubtedly in love with each other, their relationship didn't come without an abundance of rough patches. They had gotten better at working through their grievances with each other though, and they were usually able to make up with each other in a matter of days. Whenever this happened, Asami would always steal Kuvira away for the day on claims that she was helping her with a new invention. This wasn't true, of course, and their "making up" would actually consist of rough, angry sex where each of them would just say the most horrible things to each other. In fact, Kuvira could recall well enough how, during these rough escapades, Asami would often scream 'Great Uniter' at the top of her lungs.

However, once they were done and were lying next to each other in Asami's bed, breathing heavy with exhaustion, they would open up and actually talk to each other about whatever what wrong.

But, once incident had been particularly bad. In fact, both women might have said that they broke up with each other during the time.

They had gotten a new healer in the prison: a younger woman around twenty-four named Catori from the Southern Water Tribe. She had striking similarities to Korra in her facial structure, except her eyes were a lighter shade of blue, and her hair ended at the middle of her back and was often kept in a loose braid.

They had brought Catori in since she was more skilled than the previous guy. She had had some training with Kya actually, and they needed her to heal one of the inmates. He had gotten into a fight with Kuvira when they let her out of her cell. However, Kuvira had simply bended his platinum cuffs so tight around his hands that one of his wrists shattered. Even though she had been put in a wooden cell with no platinum, the other inmates still had their own platinum cuffs. So now, Kuvira wasn't even allowed out of her prison room around other inmates unless she was with Asami or Korra.

It was Catori who had actually stopped by Kuvira's cell. One reason being that she had never heard of a platinum bender, and the other…well, she had to meet the notorious "Great Uniter," even if Kuvira had long discarded that title and abandoned all affiliation with it.

The younger woman had instantly taken an attraction to Kuvira, and she would make excuses to see Kuvira all the time. In fact, Catori took over the job of bringing Kuvira her meals just so she could see the metal bender more often.

Kuvira actually didn't mind it. Korra and Asami still had limited visitation rights due to Raiko being, well…Raiko. So, seeing Catori consistently every day brought Kuvira another sense of relief and comfort. She had someone to talk to on a daily basis now instead of having to wait another week for Korra or Asami to visit her again.

However, Kuvira had been completely oblivious to Catori's subtle hints: the playful banter and flirting – but Kuvira didn't really pick up on the flirting part, the way Catori would sometimes zone out whenever Kuvira talked to her because she was too busy daydreaming about the metal bender.

But Asami certainly _wasn't_ oblivious to Catori's obvious advances at her girlfriend of over two years now. She had passed it off though, tried to ignore it. She had been visiting Kuvira on a few occasions when Catori would bring Kuvira her lunch, and Asami could clearly see that Kuvira wasn't interested in the younger woman in any romantic way at all.

In fact, Kuvira would never have known Catori had feelings for her until the younger woman kissed her. It was harmless really. Catori had kissed her, said she shouldn't have, and then just left Kuvira mildly confused in her solitary confinement room.

Their next meeting had been more awkward. Catori had tried to apologize in a blabbering mess, which Kuvira had found extremely adorable. But they had gotten nowhere with Catori's apology, because the next thing the water bender knew she was on her back on the mattress, sweating and panting, with Kuvira's face between her legs.

Of course, Kuvira hadn't felt guilty about it until after Catori left her cell. She decided she would just pass it off as a one-time thing, and Asami would never find out about it. In fact, Kuvira had never even told Catori she was with Asami already.

Except it wasn't a "one-time thing." No, Catori was still delivering Kuvira's meals, and almost every time she did she would end up under Kuvira, writhing and moaning the metal bender's name.

Kuvira wasn't sure why she was doing this. She knew it was wrong. She had tried to figure it out though. She thought maybe it was because Asami and her…well, aside from the make-up-slash-hate sex they had on occasions, their sex life wasn't very _happening_ at the moment. However, Catori was someone she saw every day. She was there, and she was willing, and Kuvira wasn't going to turn down the offer to release some of her pent up emotions when she didn't have Asami or Korra to talk to.

They had gone on like this for a solid two months, until one day Asami found out the hard way. Yes, she had gotten to Kuvira's cell, and just as she was about to push open the door, she heard Catori moan her girlfriend's name – considering Kuvira was in solitary confinement and her cell was in an isolated corridor of the prison, they never had to worry about being quiet.

Asami hadn't told Kuvira she had heard it until a week later when she visited the metal bender.

_*Flashback*  
_

" _Do you want to tell me what's going on between you and Catori?"_

" _Uh…I…"_

" _Just spit it out, Kuvira…I heard you two last week when I came to visit."_

" _Fuck…Asami, I'm so sorry. I - ,"_

" _I don't want to hear your stupid fucking apology, Kuvira! How long has this been going on?"_

"… _Um…a couple months…"_

" _What?! You're saying that for_ two months _you've been fucking that water tribe girl?! Are you_ fucking kidding me _?!"_

" _Asami…just let me explain - ,"_

" _No. There's no explanation for that! You cheated on me, Kuvira! Fine…if you want to keep fucking her then go ahead, but I'm not going to deal with it. You always told me how much you loved me and how you never wanted to hurt me…well, you fucked that up now!"_

_*End flashback*  
_

Asami had left with fresh rage. Even though she knew it wasn't okay to leave Kuvira like that to break down, she had no idea what else to do. She was so overcome with a feeling of betrayal that she couldn't even _look_ at Kuvira in that moment.

So, she had walked out of Kuvira's confinement room, and she refused to see Kuvira for two months.

And now, Kuvira had been without a visit from Asami for three months. However, Korra had had enough of seeing Kuvira sulking around. She had made a plan to _force_ Kuvira and Asami to talk through this.

She had told both Asami and Kuvira to meet her by the bay just past the pier of Republic City. It was a nice secluded area, and she figured they would need their space to talk things through. Neither Asami nor Kuvira knew the other would be there, and Korra instantly regretted the decision the second they saw each other.

"Why is _she_ here?" Asami spat, motioning to Kuvira standing by Korra's side.

"Because you two are acting childish about this whole thing!" Korra shot back, narrowing her eyes a little. "You two are my best friends. I can't stand watching you act like you hate each other! You need to talk through this!"

"Talk? What is there to talk about, Korra? She cheated on me!" Asami didn't even cast a glance to Kuvira. It hurt her too much to even think about the woman who had built up her trust and love and then broken everything a few months ago.

"I know…and that was a shitty thing for her to do," Korra said, giving Kuvira a short but stern glare. "But I've talked to her about it. You need to give her a chance to explain. I'm not going to say anything on Kuvira's behalf, but I'm leaving you two here alone. Please…try not to kill each other."

"Wait…you can't be serious," Kuvira said, her eyes darting between Korra and Asami.

"Do I look like I'm fucking joking?" Korra snapped. "You two need to get your shit together. I know you still love each other, and you can't even deny it, because if you didn't, neither of you would be tearing yourselves up over what happened."

And with that, Korra turned and stormed off, not even glancing back despite Kuvira's and Asami's protests.

Kuvira was the first to look at Asami, but the engineer refused to meet her eyes.

"I know you don't want to hear an apology," Kuvira started, and she took a step towards Asami. "But at least give me a chance to explain why it happened."

Asami kept her eyes to the ground as she folded her arms over her chest. "I shouldn't even give you a chance," she said, her voice only coming out as a hushed whisper. She was trying to stay strong in front of Kuvira, but the softness and guilt in the metal bender's voice was melting her heart on the inside.

Asami had been able to keep herself from visiting Kuvira for three months, but being here alone with Kuvira let her know that keeping herself away from the metal bender had hurt her more than she would have thought. She knew it was only a matter of time before she gave in to Kuvira.

Kuvira studied Asami's face for a moment. She saw the small scar on Asami's left cheek from the fight they had all those years ago, but it still haunted Kuvira to think that she had hurt Asami that way.

After a minute of waiting in tense silence, Kuvira finally gave up on giving Asami the chance to actually look at her, so she started to speak again.

"No explanation will excuse what I did, but I feel like you think I just cheated on you without giving it a second thought. Asami, that wasn't my intention. I…we…we hadn't been spending as much time together and…when Catori kissed me first I just…I had so many feelings and frustrations pent up from not being able to see you as often and I…I just went with it. I wasn't thinking about what I was doing until after it already happened.

"I thought it was just going to be that one time, but it wasn't. We hadn't gone out in a few weeks and spirits…it had been months since we last slept together. Asami, I'm so sorry, but I was…craving someone and…Catori had been there consistently. Gosh…I feel like more of an asshole just saying that…"

"No, I-I can…understand that," Asami said, but she still kept her eyes glued to the soft sand of the bay at her feet. "I know that keeping a relationship between us had been hard and…you were right, we weren't spending much time doing fun or romantic things with each other. We were just fighting almost every time we saw each other. So I can see where you're coming from…Catori was there, she's attractive, and you weren't getting enough of me. I understand that.

"But what I don't understand is why, after the first time it happened with her, you didn't tell her you were in a relationship with me. If you had, then she would have stopped, and this conversation wouldn't be happening. But…you aren't the only guilty one here…"

Kuvira furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you mean? I cheated on you…that…that's inexcusable. You have every right to be angry with me."

Asami shook her head and finally found the courage to meet Kuvira's eyes, and she nearly broke down by just looking into Kuvira's beautiful emerald eyes for the first time in three months.

"I shouldn't have left you that whole time," Asami said, her voice cracking slightly. "I-I just couldn't believe it had actually happened. I was in shock for a while. But…I should have come back to see you. It wasn't right of me either to just walk away and not even bother to come back.

"But it was hard, Kuvira. Don't think it was like a walk in the park for me to do. Every day I had to will myself not to visit you. I purposely found different projects or inventions I could work on to distract myself, because I knew if I let my mind wander to you for even a minute I would be going to the prison and forgiving you."

"No…you had every right to leave me. I would have walked out on myself if I could have," Kuvira answered, taking another small step towards Asami. "But hey…we're talking right now. Asami, we can't stay mad at each other forever simply because we love each other and we long to be together. We've long reached that point where we can't push each other away anymore."

Asami nodded. She knew Kuvira was right. In fact, she liked to believe that that moment Kuvira was talking about was the night over five years ago when Kuvira had first made love to her. After that night, Asami knew she would always be weak for Kuvira. Her guard would always be down around the metal bender.

Asami didn't react too much when she felt Kuvira's hand resting on her cheek. She found it comforting though, and within moments Asami stepped forward and allowed herself to be taken into Kuvira's arms. The embrace was familiar, and it was something Asami never wanted to live without.

Asami returned the affection, wrapping her arms around Kuvira's waist and holding the metal bender tightly against her.

"I'm so sorry…" Kuvira whispered, burying her face into Asami's neck, trying to drown herself in the comfort of her lover.

"So am I. I forgive you, Kuvira. Please don't beat yourself up because of this." Asami pulled away just enough so their eyes could meet again, and Kuvira tilted her head up just slightly to accommodate their height difference. "I forgave you for what happened with my father. That was over eight years ago. I'd be an idiot not to let go of that. Of course it will always cause me pain when I think of it, but I always remember that I fell in love with you. I love you now, and I'll love you forever. I'll always find it in me to forgive you."

* * *

_Two months later_

Korra saw the difference in Asami's mood instantly once she had made up with Kuvira. Her best friend was happier and less irritable. Kuvira also changed. She wasn't as gloomy and mopey the way she had been when she had cheated on Asami.

Kuvira had even come to terms with Catori about what had been going on between them. She still kept the water bender as a friend. Sometimes it became slightly awkward between them, but it was something they were able to get over.

Kuvira only had about eight months left on her prison sentence, and she was already anticipating her release and spending her first real day as a free woman with Asami.

Kuvira's birthday was also in another month, and she had made plans to go out with Korra and Asami for a nice dinner and then spend the night with Asami. Kuvira was excited about it, and that was probably an understatement. She and Asami had been fine for the past couple months, but Kuvira wanted this opportunity to be close to her girlfriend. They would have the chance to be intimate together, which was something that hadn't happened in over a month. Both women would admit that they were longing for the other's touch again.

* * *

"Hey…" Kuvira whispered, a lopsided grin coming to her face as she turned on her side, her eyes quickly finding Asami's.

"Please tell me you aren't ready to go another round," Asami breathed out, an exhausted laugh escaping her.

Kuvira couldn't help the smirk that surfaced before laughing softly as well. "Don't worry…we both know you would probably pass out," she said, wrapped her arms around Asami's waist, pulling her girlfriend against her. Kuvira smiled a little once their bodies touched, a small layer of sweat still lingered on Asami's chest and stomach.

Over a month without being intimate with one another took its toll on both women. In fact, while they were out for dinner with Korra to celebrate Kuvira's birthday, the Avatar clearly saw the way they looked at each other, and she had ended the dinner early, knowing Kuvira and Asami couldn't wait to get home so Asami could give her girlfriend her birthday present, which was simply hours of lust filled, desire driven sex.

And now that Kuvira thought about it – they had gotten back to Asami's home around eleven and now they were just settling down at two in the morning – she couldn't help the small chuckle that passed her lips.

"What?" Asami asked, raising an eyebrow at the metal bender.

"We're both thirty-one year old women and we still go at it like teenagers," Kuvira muttered though she gave a proud grin to Asami.

Asami just rolled her eyes but kissed Kuvira's chest anyway. "I mean…we haven't done this for a whole month what did you think was going to happen?"

Kuvira gave a small grunt in return before she took one of Asami's hands in her own, absentmindedly playing with Asami's fingers. Kuvira was in a moment of pure bliss right now. The last couple times she had seen Asami had been in prison, and they ended up fighting each of those times. But now, Kuvira could just enjoy being with Asami. She still imagined what it would be like to see a ring on Asami's finger, and she wondered if she would ever have the courage to ask that question. It only made sense; she had been with Asami for nearly six years now.

But something about it still scared Kuvira. She and Asami still had things they needed to work through together. She knew a part of Asami was still holding back from forgiving her fully. She knew Asami would always be damaged by the fact that Kuvira was the one who killed her father. No matter how many times Asami assured Kuvira it was in the past, she had grieved, and she had moved on, Kuvira could see the pain in Asami's eyes.

"Hey," Asami said softly, tilting Kuvira's face towards her own. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing…" Kuvira mumbled, her eyes flickering anywhere but to Asami's own green orbs.

"Kuvira…don't do this…please. Just talk to me." Asami kept her voice quiet and patient. She didn't want to push Kuvira; they both knew pushing each other only made things worse. But she knew something was troubling Kuvira. They had been together long enough at this point that they had each other well figured out.

"I just…it still makes me nervous…that you haven't forgiven me," Kuvira said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Kuvira, I've told you this so many times. I forgive you. I know you - ,"

"But it still affects you…"

"It will always affect me. There's nothing either of us can do about that. I lost my dad…nothing can take that fact away. You get so down on yourself about this and constantly second guess whether or not I've moved on. I worry about you doing that but at the same time it shows me how much you care…and how much you love me.

"You're so worried about losing me over something that's long in the past now, and I don't think you've truly realized that I was able to move on from it with _you._ Kuvira, you were the one who helped me get over losing my dad. You were the one who showed me that people change and that it isn't impossible to forgive someone who caused you so much pain. You were the one who hurt me yet you showed me compassion first. You were the one who was misguided and made mistakes yet you were the first one to guide _me_ towards forgiveness and you were the first one to help _me_ move on from my own mistakes.

"You were the one who was broken yet you made the first effort to help me put my own broken pieces back together. Kuvira, you were suffering more than I could ever imagine after you surrendered, and yet you still made sure you were there as a support line for me and Korra. I saw you change, Kuvira. I saw past your mistakes and realized that you were just a broken spirit who needed help, but you were always willing to put someone else before your own healing process.

"I know you still think you don't deserve me or your freedom, but you do…please believe me. I-I don't know what else I can say or do that will convince you to let go of your feelings of self-hatred, but it hurts to see you doubting yourself like this."

"This part of me will never go away," Kuvira said softly, meeting Asami's eyes now. "The voices…they'll always be with me. Being with you and Korra helps to keep them away, but sometimes they come back. It's a part of me that will stay. But it's times like these, when I'm with you, that make me feel loved and make me feel safe from the voices.

"Asami…worrying about whether or not you've forgiven me isn't the only thing that's been occupying my mind. Recently…I've been thinking that…uh, I um…"

"Kuvira, you know you can tell me anything…"

"I know…it just uh…I don't know how you'll feel about it."

Asami ran her hands softly up and down Kuvira's arms, something that always calmed the metal bender. As an instant reaction to it, Kuvira's breathing steadied and the muscles in her shoulders and arms relaxed noticeably.

"Well…if you don't tell me then I guess you won't get to find out how I feel about it," Asami said, a teasing grin tugging at her mouth as she slowly trailed her lips across Kuvira's jaw, earning a small shiver from the metal bender.

"I uh…Asami…" Kuvira placed her hands on Asami's shoulders and held her girlfriend away just enough so their eyes could meet again. "I'm really, really… _really_ in love with you and I-I'm not too sure how to handle all my feelings for you even after being with you for so long…but I know that I um, Asami…I want to marry you. I was so nervous to tell you because I've been thinking about it _so much_ over the last few months and I just didn't know how you would - ,"

"Yes."

"Wait…what?"

"Yes, Kuvira…of course I'll marry you!"

"Really?"

Asami couldn't help but laugh and ruffle Kuvira's hair, something that made the metal bender pout and grumble incoherent obscenities at her girlfriend, but it only made her more adorable in that moment.

"Kuvira, you dork, I've been waiting three years for you to ask me to marry you," Asami said, her voice light and her tone carrying nothing but happiness and love.

"Are you serious?" Kuvira returned, her jaw nearly dropping before she groaned out loudly. "Ughhh…why was I such a wimp? I dragged this out for so long…urgh!"

"Aww...don't beat yourself up with this Kuvs…what matters is that you finally grew a pair and told me. But in all seriousness…how much thought have you actually put into this?"

"Um…just that, uh…we could have a small wedding with your friends there and uh…maybe I could get Suyin and her family to come. And then, I don't know…I guess we could go anywhere we wanted for our honeymoon. I mean…I was only in the Spirit World for a short time with Korra, and I know you two went with each other but I've always wanted to go back and see it…maybe reconnect spiritually a little bit. We could have that time all to ourselves. Just the two of us. I know I'm probably making no sense right now, but I've been thinking about it so much and I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to marry the most amazing woman in my life, someone who came to me at my lowest point and showed me forgiveness and compassion and _love_ when I needed it the most…someone who showed me that it was okay to be afraid and vulnerable and someone who showed me that is was okay to have regrets and make mistakes. I'll always fight for what we have because you've changed my life for good, and I never want to lose you."

"You won't lose me, Kuvira…I promise. In a million lifetimes I never would have thought that I would fall for the woman who used to be my worst enemy. Trust me, I have enough regrets in my life, but loving you isn't one of them. All the extra pain we went through together…it was worth it. I'll always need you, Kuvira, and I'll love you tomorrow and every day after."

Kuvira couldn't stop smiling as she pulled Asami against her into a tight hug. She was so happy, so at peace. Asami was right, everything they had been through together to get to this point was worth it. If Kuvira had to go through it all over again to get her…she would.

"So…how does all my thinking sound? A small wedding and then a trip to the Spirit World?"

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

**A/N: *ugly sobbing* I'm just too Kuvirasami trash to function rn. Anyway, I hoped you all liked this! Came out to be over 36k words and 78 pages of Microsoft Word…holy smokes!**

**I put in a lot of time to this and I hope it paid off.**

**Leave suggestions for any Korvira or Kuvirasami short you would like to see next…I'm open to really anything!**

**Until next time: Happy reading!**

**\- A**


	12. Just The Two of Us

**Title:** Just the Two of Us

**Pairing:** Korra/Kuvira

**Universe:** Canon divergence, Book 4 finale

**Summary:** A different take on Korra and Kuvira in the Spirit World. What if more had been said between them and what if more feelings had been shared?

**Rating:** T for listed trigger warnings

**POV:** Third person omniscient though more Kuvira-centric

**Trigger warning(s):** Mentions of psychological abuse and suicide

* * *

**A/N: This is my attempt to tackle the 'what if' scenarios. It can be hard doing canon divergence because with this short, it is simply changing the dialogue between Korra and Kuvira. Given the clear connection they had in the finale as it was, I always thought about "What if their conversation had been longer? What if Kuvira went into more depth with her past?" Those sort of questions I will try to answer through this short.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

"What happened? Where are we?" Kuvira paused as she took in her surroundings. The deep blue and purple skies, the bright yellow and green beam in front of her, and the bed of seemingly endless purple and pink flowers were like nothing she had ever seen before. She certainly wasn't in the physical world she was familiar with.

"Are we…dead?"

"No," Korra said, shaking her head a little. "We're in the Spirit World. The power of your weapon and the Avatar State created such a strong blast that it tore open a new spirit portal, and it blasted us into the Spirit World when it happened too."

Kuvira tried to make sense of it all. She was very confused about how that was even possible. She took another glance at the ever darkening skies before the pain struck her. With a sharp cry, Kuvira fell to her knees, clutching her ribs. Her body shook with violent coughs, specks of blood coming out of her mouth with each one.

In the next moment Korra was at her side, trying to help her stand but only making the pain worse for Kuvira. The metal bender pushed Korra away, and the glare Kuvira gave her hurt the Avatar more than she thought it should.

"Sorry…I- uh…you were in pain and I just - ,"

"Why are you acting like this?" Kuvira spat, her breathing heavy as the dark crimson continued to leak from the side of her mouth. "Why are you trying to help me? Why did you save my life? After everything I did to you…"

Korra looked away, her gaze shifting to the vast expanse of the Spirit World horizon as she thought. Yes, part of the reason was because, as the Avatar, she had grown in her maturity. She was better at showing compassion for others. But there was certainly more to it…

"I…I guess I see a lot of myself in you," Korra eventually breathed out, shifting her eyes back to Kuvira.

Kuvira's eyes instantly narrowed as she glared back at Korra. "We are nothing alike!"

"Yes…we are. We're both fierce and determined, and we're willing to take risks to help those we care about, even if it means not completely thinking through a decision. We've both had a ton of pressure on our shoulders at times when everyone was looking to us for answers and a solution."

Kuvira was nearly seething now, and if it weren't for the constant waves of pain coursing through her entire chest she probably would have jumped on the Avatar and ended things right there.

"So you think that makes us the same?" Kuvira spat, averting her eyes from Korra's for just a moment. "You're the Avatar…you're adored by millions. You're respected and loved and always have the support you need! You always had someone there for you to help you, but I was always on my own! My parents cast me away like I meant nothing to them…they saw me as a failure and didn't want anything to do with me!

"But this was my time to stand up and prove them wrong…to prove everyone wrong about me. I had to do something, Korra! The Queen was dead…and you…you were gone! You were just…gone… I couldn't sit by and watch as the nation I loved crumbled and descended into chaos. I needed to _do_ something!"

Korra gave a sympathetic smile in return before she knelt down onto the bed of spirit flowers so she could meet Kuvira's gaze.

"Look, Kuvira…I was never an orphan, but I do know what it feels like to be alone. After Zaheer poisoned me…I couldn't do anything for myself. I couldn't get dressed, eat, or even take a bath without someone helping me. Trust me, I would have done anything to be in control in those moments."

The memories brought on a different side of Korra now. The Avatar looked down at her hands, and Kuvira could see the small gloss of tears pricking her eyes.

"I remember…" Kuvira eventually mumbled.

"I know you do…you were there for nearly three months before I left to go home," Korra said, her eyes returning to Kuvira's, and now her blue orbs were shining brightly, as if she was seeing the younger, more familiar Kuvira in front of her now.

"I never thought you of all people could be hurt so much. Even when we fought at Zao Fu…something stopped you there. How did you get through that?"

"It wasn't easy, I'll say that for sure," Korra answered, a soft but sad chuckle escaping her. "There were moments when…I felt so useless. I couldn't even go into the Avatar State then, and I saw how people were able to move on with their lives without me. I-I started hearing these voices sometimes…they would tell me that no one needed me anymore, that I should just let Raava's spirit pass on to someone else who could _do_ something."

"So that's where those come from?" Kuvira asked, subtly nodding to Korra's wrists. The deep blue sleeves covered the tan skin on Korra's arms and wrists, and the Avatar looked back at Kuvira puzzled.

"How do you know?"

"At Zao Fu…before you had both of your wrists taped…believe me Korra, I've been there before."

"When?" The word was out before Korra realized what kind of line she was crossing. Although, she wasn't sure if there _was_ any line to cross at this point. After all, she was sitting in the Spirit World with her enemy. Was Kuvira even an enemy now though? Korra had just told Kuvira one of her darkest secrets – even Asami didn't know about it.

"Uh…sorry…" Korra recovered, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

Kuvira narrowed her eyes at Korra again, not in an angry way, but a curious way. She couldn't figure the Avatar out right now. She didn't know why Korra was even bothering to talk to her like this. No one else would have given her this chance or this time to just talk freely.

"I'm not surprised by you asking that…I'm just more confused about why you want to know," Kuvira said.

Korra shrugged. She felt embarrassed now for some odd reason. If she was being completely honest with herself, even _she_ didn't know why she had asked. She guessed maybe it was because they had both been in that dark place of depression and self-loathing. Yeah…that was it.

"I couldn't tell you the complete truth," Korra answered. "I just…wouldn't expect someone like you to…I don't even know how to say it. I guess, every time I saw you, even in Zao Fu a few years ago, you were always so tough and stoic."

"So you just never expected someone like me could be vulnerable at some point?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow at Korra, something that drove the Avatar crazy. And whether it was a bad crazy or another kind of crazy…Korra didn't know.

"I guess it wouldn't change anything if I told you," Kuvira continued, knowing she wouldn't get an answer from Korra anytime soon with her last question. Kuvira took a deep breath despite the fact that it felt like her ribs were piercing through her lungs when she did. But she pushed the pain aside. It was what she had always done.

"My parents just left me when I was eight years old. But the entire time before that…my father…he was a tough guy to say the least. He grew up on the streets of Ba Sing Se after his parents were killed by bandits when he was twelve. He learned the harsh ways of survival in the lower ring. So he was pretty toughed up…but I suppose he was a good man. At least my mom thought so.

"Anyway…I found out I was an earth bender basically as soon as I could walk. And then I discovered I was a metal bender just two years later…I was only three. Apparently that doesn't happen very often if at all, so my dad took it as an opportunity to make me the strongest I could be. He was encouraging until I was five. Then he thought hard training was the right thing to do. Why? I'll never know…but something must have been off in his head to think grooming a five year old to be a weapon was a good idea.

"Of course, I didn't want to train. I was five…I wanted to have fun. My bending would develop and get stronger as I grew up. My father didn't see it that way. He thought I was lazy and that I would never have motivation for anything in my life."

"That's…a way to jump to conclusions…" Korra mumbled, her eyebrows rising a little as she looked to Kuvira. She figured the weak, somewhat lopsided grin Kuvira gave her in return was a good sign.

"Yeah…he wasn't very rational. Growing up in violent areas of the lower ring infected with gangs and bandits will do that to you. He just got worse as time went on though…started calling me worthless and saying that he wished he had a son instead and all that bullshit irrational, crazy parents say. And then one day…he just up and left. He dragged my mother away from me against her will. I'll never know why he did it. Maybe he thought that if I grew up on the streets alone it would toughen me up like it did to him. Whatever his reason was, it didn't get him anywhere.

"Su took me in just a year later. She was on a visit for diplomatic reasons. I was a naïve nine year old who didn't care about world leaders. All I saw was valuable gold and other metals on her that would gain me leverage in the lower ring. So naturally I metal bended a bracelet right off her wrist. Annnddd…she definitely noticed."

Korra couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. "Are you serious? _That's_ how Suyin found you?"

Kuvira shrugged and a proud grin eventually replaced the slight frown on her lips. "I guess she was more interested in the fact that someone as young as me could metal bend so well."

"So…she took you in even though she knew you were a thief?"

"I wasn't a thief…not _all_ the time at least. But yes, she did. She saw my talent for metal bending. At first I was afraid because I thought she was going to train me just like my father. But…I quickly saw that that wasn't the case. Su was so kind and patient with me. Eventually, I was practicing metal bending on my own time.

"It took me until I was fifteen to actually recognize that I wasn't truly a part of her family though. Yes, she took care of me and supported my training and all that good stuff, but she still kept me at an arm's length. I'm pretty sure it was my own mind telling me that. Maybe it was just the memories of my father saying how I wouldn't be anything to anyone. I don't know what it was…but I fell into a pretty dark place that year. Su would ask me what was wrong and I wouldn't tell her, but she wouldn't push further. But I _wanted_ her to push. I wanted her to keep asking me what was wrong and I wanted her to stay by my side. It wasn't her fault…she wouldn't have known that.

"I uh…I tried to kill myself that year. I just felt so lonely and it seemed as if – despite the care and time Su put into raising me and supporting me – she would have been able to go on perfectly fine without me. It seemed that way with everyone.

"But apparently it wasn't that way. Opal found me and Su was lucky she got me to the hospital when she did. When I woke up…Su was there and she…" Kuvira paused, holding back a sob that threatened to escape. She felt the tears in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. "She kept running her fingers over the bandages on my wrists and she was crying and I…I felt so guilty. She was so distraught and broken and I didn't know how I was able to do that to her but…I regret it to this day."

Korra shook her head and moved closer to Kuvira, just enough to rest her hand on the metal bender's shoulder. "You couldn't control the way you were feeling. And when we feel alone sometimes it's hard to believe anyone else expect what our mind is telling us."

"Korra…why are you caring about me? I tried to kill you. I hurt your friends and so many innocent people. I don't deserve this…"

Korra kept her eyes on Kuvira until the metal bender met her gaze. Kuvira's eyes were sad yet strong. They hid years of pain yet they conveyed so much determination. Korra found that, as much as Kuvira's arrogance swayed her decision making, she admired the metal bender's willpower to keep going. It was a strength not too many people had.

"Like I told you…I see myself in you. Sure we didn't come from the same situations, but we've both known what it's like to feel alone and to feel like no one can help us when we need it most. We've both had to overcome hurdles and we've had to do it on our own."

Kuvira only responded with a small nod before wincing and hunching over, a fit of coughs shaking her body once more. The metallic taste on her tongue after let her know that she most likely broke more than one rib.

"We need to get you to a healer," Korra said, concern filling her eyes now as she took one of Kuvira's hands, helping the metal bender to her feet.

"They'll kill me if I go back there," Kuvira mumbled weakly, allowing Korra to put her arm around her midsection.

"No they won't. Su wouldn't let them," she said, giving Kuvira a small but encouraging smile.

"I can't imagine what they'll think…I mean, we were trying to kill each other not too long ago and now…I don't even know," Kuvira replied, shaking her head yet a weak smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah…" Korra breathed out as they walked to the new spirit portal. "I guess a lot has changed now…"

* * *

**A/N: Just a small Korvira short for you all to keep the feels flowing about what could have been *cries* ... Hoped you liked it…the next one will be Kuvirasami. I am just rotating at this point between the two ships. If you have any prompt suggestions please leave them in your review, thanks!**

**Happy reading!**

**\- A**


	13. Heal My Broken Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: basically just Kuvirasami smut and fluff like who doesn't love that. I guess you could say that this is just a bunch of Kuvirasami scenes as their relationship progresses…sort of like snapshots of them falling in love with each other.
> 
> But also Kuvs is just a heartbroken, precious bby and Asami shows her that it's okay to fall in love again.
> 
> Happy reading!

Title: Heal My Broken Heart

Pairing(s): Kuvira/Asami, past Korra/Asami, past/current/complicated Korra/Kuvira, and past Kuvira/Suyin

Universe: Modern college AU

Summary: Kuvira was never tied down to anyone. She never had a long relationship, and she didn't want one. She swore she would never fall in love. She was fine with this…going from girl to girl and not developing any feelings for any of them. But then she started feeling _something_ when Asami came along.

Rating: M for language and sexual situations

POV: Third person omniscient

Trigger warning(s): "Cheating" I suppose. I mean, not really since Korra and Kuvira were never in an established relationship but still…just in case.

* * *

 

" _True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see and imperfect person perfectly."_

Kuvira was someone who wanted things. Or people. Things…people…same difference, right? And she always got what she wanted. Or at least…other girls were only too willing to be hers for a night.

She was all too appealing for most to handle. She was smart. She was going pre-med for psychiatry while doing a minor in architectural studies. She was athletic. She was the best player on Republic City University's soccer team and now in her junior year she was named captain of the team.

She had killer looks, which always helped whenever she wanted to bring someone to her bed for a little enjoyment. Everything about Kuvira was attractive. From her mellow, forest green eyes to her sharp jawline to her athletic, toned body…if Kuvira ever asked to get a drink for another girl they damn well accepted the offer.

Girls and guys alike knew about Kuvira's reputation. It wasn't that she was a complete asshole. Sure, getting around with any willing girl might seem like a bad thing, but Kuvira was honest about what she wanted. She told girls upfront, 'Just a night of fun…no feelings involved.' Aside from that, Kuvira wasn't a mean person or someone who acted like she was above everyone else. In fact, Kuvira was actually very easygoing. She was funny, witty, charismatic, and selfless…believe it or not.

The only reason she was so confident when it came to girls is that they made it so obvious they were attracted to her. If someone wanted Kuvira, they didn't hide it. And if Kuvira found the girl attractive as well by her standards, then everything was great.

Kuvira had actually done really well with the whole "no feelings thing." There hadn't been any incidents where girls would try to get into a relationship with her. If a girl was heartbroken over the fact that they made a drunken mistake by having someone they actually liked in their bed for the night then they would vent to a friend…and that was that.

Kuvira didn't involve herself with feelings anymore. At least…not _those_ feelings…of being attached to someone, of trusting someone, of craving someone, of _loving_ someone. She had been through that once before, and she swore she would never go back to it again.

Although, there was only one person Kuvira knew she could trust completely: her roommate, Korra. Their relationship with each other…Kuvira wouldn't even know how to attempt explaining it.

* * *

 

"I'm baaacckkkk," Korra exclaimed in a sing-song voice as she entered her and Kuvira's dorm room, causing Kuvira to look up from her textbook. Kuvira was absolutely adorable to Korra…all the time. With her loose RCU Soccer hoodie and baggy sweatpants, her sloppily braided hair with her layered bangs framing her face, and those thick-rimmed glasses…it was almost impossible for Korra _not_ to fall in love with her roommate. "I'm sure you missed me," she added with a small wink before she went over to Kuvira and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

"Agh…I told you not to do that," Kuvira grumbled, setting her textbook on her nightstand as she blatantly ran a hand down her cheek, trying to convince herself that she could wipe the kiss off her skin.

"Aww. Is my broody teenager upset by my affection?" Korra teased, tossing her backpack on her bed before she tackled Kuvira in a bear hug.

"Korra…I just turned twenty…I'm not a teenager anymore," Kuvira said, her voice muffled by the fact that her face was buried in Korra's chest. "And also you'll break my glasses…"

Korra pouted and pulled away just enough so Kuvira could take her glasses off and set them on top of her textbook. But she stayed on top of Kuvira, straddling her roommate's waist, a smirk growing on her lips.

"You still act like a teenager," Korra said back, leaning forward and brushing her lips across Kuvira's. "A very horny teenager actually…"

"Um…I'm pretty sure _you're_ the one trying to initiate a make out session right now," Kuvira deadpanned, although her arms eventually found their way around Korra's waist.

"Oh shut up…you know you'll never deny me," Korra said, her lips moving across Kuvira's jaw now.

The older girl smirked as she quickly flipped their positions, pinning Korra's arms above her head. Korra fought her for a few seconds, but eventually she gave in. Fighting for dominance was something that occurred often between the two, but almost every time Kuvira ended up winning. Korra would never actually voice it to Kuvira, but having the green-eyed beauty dominate her was something she simply couldn't resist.

Kuvira pressed her lips to Korra's in a hard kiss, lust and desire instantly driving both young women. There was nothing romantic about anything they did together in the bedroom. Kuvira made sure of that. She and Korra shared so many similarities in what they liked to do and in their personalities that Kuvira was sure if they were ever romantic at any point with each other now one of them would most certainly fall for the other. And that was a big no-no for Kuvira.

"I have to make up a quiz in twenty minutes," Korra breathed out once Kuvira broke the kiss, and she had to suppress a moan when she felt Kuvira's hands slip under her shirt.

"What…I thought you were done for the day," Kuvira mumbled back, and Korra sat up, allowing Kuvira to pull her shirt off.

Korra pulled Kuvira's lips back to her own for another searing kiss before shaking her head slightly. "No…I missed it because _someone_ wanted to keep me in bed for an afternoon…"

Kuvira rolled her eyes and quickly removed her hoodie, tossing it onto the floor, and the next moment Korra's hands were already on her, her nails scratching lightly down Kuvira's toned abs.

"It's not like I was forcing you to stay with me," Kuvira said as she wasted no more time with pulling down Korra's sweatpants. "You could have told me and I would have let you -,"

"Kuvira, you know you have a terrible habit of talking too much when we have sex, right?" Korra interrupted, her glare challenging Kuvira as she nearly tore her underwear off. She let Kuvira settle herself in between her legs, her arms instantly resting over Kuvira's strong shoulders. She smirked when she felt Kuvira's hand move up her thigh towards where she wanted it the most.

"Well, uh…you talk back to me, so um… I-I don't know if you uh, want me to -,"

"You're adorable when you're flustered…now shut up and fuck me."

* * *

 

Korra didn't tell Kuvira that she was bringing her ex over that night, so Kuvira was certainly surprised – in a good way, of course – when she saw the jaw-dropping young woman standing next to her roommate.

"Kuvira, I've mentioned Asami a few times to you, right?"

"You definitely have," Kuvira said, standing from her desk and going over to the pair. "I'm surprised I haven't actually met you though." She shook Asami's hand, and Korra's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the slight blush on Asami's cheek.

"Korra has told me a lot about you. Also, it's kind of impossible to _not_ hear about you. I mean, being the captain of the soccer team and all," Asami replied, smiling sweetly to Kuvira.

Kuvira just nodded with a dorky grin, an expression Korra had never actually seen before with her roommate. Kuvira didn't have a snarky comment to make in return either; she was actually being humble, which frightened Korra even more.

"Asami and I were gonna go out to the burger joint in town. We wanted to know if you'd like to come with us," Korra said, trying to distract Kuvira from Asami for a moment.

"Yeah…I'd love to," Kuvira answered, giving a knowing smirk to Korra, which didn't go unnoticed by Asami.

In fact, Asami took in a lot about Kuvira and Korra's relationship in the minutes she spent in their room as well as in the car while they drove into town. She saw the way they made eyes at each other. She noticed the playful banter that bordered on flirting between them. And the most glaring of them all, she certainly noticed how _many_ pairs of Korra's clothes were scattered on Kuvira's side of their dorm room.

Asami wouldn't lie about the fact that she was somewhat jealous. Although, whether she was jealous of Korra or Kuvira…she didn't quite know. Even though it was a mutual break up between her and Korra, Asami would admit that if Korra ever asked to hook up with her she would certainly accept. And then there was Kuvira. Asami took an instant attraction to Kuvira. How could she not? Kuvira was damn near perfect and Asami would be lying if she said she didn't want Kuvira in bed with her.

But Asami's attraction went further as the night went along. They had a relaxed dinner together, and it mostly consisted of Kuvira telling her stories of random and sometimes ridiculous things that happened on her team and during her soccer games. And when Korra excused herself to go to the bathroom, Asami took the opportunity to get to know Kuvira a little more without drawing the suspicion of her ex-girlfriend.

"So…I've been hogging the conversation," Kuvira said with a small laugh. "I barely know anything about you."

"I thought Korra told you about me?"

"Yeah…she did. But like, it was basically just 'oh…Asami is so amazing and wonderful and beautiful.' So…I don't know anything about _you_. Like…what you study, any sports…what you like to do…stuff like that."

Asami couldn't help the blush that dusted her cheeks. She was shocked that Kuvira was asking and seemed so genuine in knowing about her.

"Well…I'm majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in chemistry."

"Whoa…so you must be pretty smart," Kuvira said with a playful grin.

"I guess you could say that. I'm sort of an inventor…I make a lot of blueprints of things I'd like to build or design. Obviously I don't have the time or experience for some of the things, but it's always nice to imagine."

"Really? No way! I'm minoring in architecture. I've made some of my own blueprints, mainly for basic things like dream houses and stuff, but it's really fun to do," Kuvira replied, a genuine smile on her face now.

"That's awesome…maybe I could see them sometime? It's not often I meet people who actually find making blueprints fun."

"Definitely…you should come over. Whenever you want…the offer is there. Korra tried to listen to me explain some of them, but she doesn't get it. She's usually out late anyway for basketball practice so…I'm alone most of the evening."

Asami raised an eyebrow at Kuvira. "Korra leaves you alone a lot? I thought you two were together?"

Kuvira nearly choked on her drink. "What? No…oh my gosh…no, absolutely not. Korra and I…we are not… _not_ together. Nope…not a couple."

"The way you're tripping over your words right now is telling me otherwise," Asami said evenly, taking a sip of her water. A teasing grin came to her lips a few seconds later though. "However, it is very adorable."

"I am not adorable," Kuvira replied. "And Korra and I are not dating."

"I'm definitely _not_ believing you on that one. You certainly act like you are. And there's definitely an acknowledged attraction between you two."

"Yeah, we acknowledge our attraction to each other by fucking, and that's it," Kuvira said.

Asami was thoroughly shocked…she wasn't expecting that answer. But she quickly recovered her composure. "Wait…so you two are just…what then?"

Kuvira shrugged and leaned back in her chair, finishing the rest of her soda. "Friends with benefits? I guess that's the term. I'm not really into the whole relationship thing anyway. Korra knows that."

"So you've never dated anyone before?" Asami asked, her expression softer now once she noticed Kuvira's entire mood shift once the question was out there.

"Uh…yeah. I guess? I don't…really know. I um…"

"It's alright, I won't pry. I can tell you don't want to talk about it."

"Thanks…" Kuvira mumbled.

When Korra came back, Kuvira returned to her usual self. Asami stayed interested and contributed to their conversations, but she couldn't help wondering how seemingly one relationship turned Kuvira away from trying another and made her feel so strongly about not getting attached to someone.

* * *

 

Korra never usually fell asleep during nights she spent in Kuvira's bed. She knew Kuvira didn't mind the fact that she stayed next to her through the night. Sometimes Korra thought it was silly; her bed was literally six feet across the room, but she could never bring herself to leave Kuvira's side. Even though her roommate slept with her back turned to her, Korra still felt better knowing she was so close to Kuvira.

Korra's phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she reached over and grabbed it, and she became even more curious when she saw that it was Asami who had texted her.

_Asami: hey_

_Korra: hey…you're up late. It's nearly one in the morning._

_Asami: I could say the same to you. I'm assuming Kuvira kept you busy._

_Korra: How do you know about that?_

_Asami: I asked her if you two were a couple at dinner. I thought you were given the way you two acted around each other. But she said you weren't._

_Korra: well she's right. We aren't together._

_Asami: about that…_

_Asami: what happened…with Kuvira? She said she had been in a relationship before, but I didn't press further. I saw that she was upset about it._

_Korra: yeah, it wasn't too great. But that's not for me to tell you about. When she trusts you enough she'll tell you on her own, and I know she will. She likes you, Asami._

_Asami: why do you keep doing it?_

_Korra: Doing what?_

_Asami: whatever you're doing with Kuvira. Are there really no feelings involved between you two at all?_

_Korra: for Kuvira I know there aren't any of those feelings. She loves me as a best friend. She's made it pretty clear._

_Asami: and what about you?_

Asami was nervous when she saw that Korra had opened her text but didn't respond. She waited, and waited, and she was about to send another text after nearly ten minutes until the 'typing' indicator came up for Korra.

_Korra: what about me? What does it matter, Asami? She's my best friend and I happen to be head over heels in love with her. But she can never know that. I'm happy with what I get from her…it's enough for me._

Asami didn't reply to Korra's text that night.

Korra didn't sleep either.

* * *

 

Asami thought of Kuvira differently after Korra's confession last night. Of course she knew about Kuvira's reputation for sleeping with other girls. But it was different when it came to Korra. She was Asami's ex-girlfriend, Asami's best friend, and Kuvira was breaking Korra's heart every night without even realizing it.

Asami was too deep in her thoughts about Korra that she didn't even notice Kuvira sit down across from her at the table.

"Hey," Kuvira said, drawing Asami back to the real world.

"Oh…hey, Kuvira." She didn't know Kuvira wore glasses. Asami thought she looked adorable yet sexy at the same time with them. And damn it, she couldn't sort out her feelings for Kuvira. They were so mixed and Asami really didn't know what to think of them.

"Hope you don't mind me joining you. I have to head to work outs soon, so I'll be quick."

"It's no problem. I was hoping to see you actually," Asami said with a small smile as she took a sip of her iced tea. Honestly, university food in the dining hall wasn't always the best, but Asami had to admit, they had killer iced tea.

"Really, why?"

Asami shrugged and smiled a little more. "Not sure. Korra always spoke so highly of you so…I guess I'm intrigued by you."

Kuvira raised an eyebrow as she finished off a half of her sandwich. Whoa, she could eat fast, Asami thought.

"Intrigued…what's so mysterious about me?" Kuvira asked with a grin tugging at her lips.

"I'm just going to be straightforward with you."

"I like honest girls, please share."

That made Asami blush for some reason, and Kuvira definitely noticed. "Look…I know how easily you can get a girl, but you don't seem like…I don't know…like -,"

"An asshole?" Kuvira finished for her.

"Yeah…well, you're actually not an asshole at all. Maybe a little arrogant at times, but certainly not an asshole."

"You say that like you're surprised."

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because…you're literally so damn perfect and you could get anyone in bed with you, yet you don't treat other girls like mere objects for your pleasure."

"That's because they aren't," Kuvira said, her eyes and expression soft as her thoughts drifted to the one person who taught her that. "Trust me Asami, I was that asshole my first year here. I quickly became the best player on the soccer team. I excelled at all my classes. And every time I went to a party I ended up hooking up with some girl.

"But last year came and I was roommates with Korra, and my whole attitude changed. We were so alike with many things, and she quickly became my best friend. I know I can count on her for anything, and maybe I did have a crush on her at some point…I'll never know for sure. Point being, Korra showed me what it was like to fully respect a woman. I realized how much of a jerk I had been to some girls. Now, it makes me upset to think that I once treated beautiful, amazing young women like they were just there for my own pleasure."

"And yet you still don't get yourself involved with anyone?"

Kuvira shook her head. "I can't. It's too hard for me."

They fell into a short yet comfortable silence as Kuvira finished her sandwich until a thought popped into Kuvira's head about something Asami said to her previously.

"So…you think I'm perfect and that I can get anyone into bed with me?" Kuvira asked, an almost challenging smirk coming to her face.

Asami remained passive. She knew what Kuvira was thinking. Asami also knew what she wanted. She would never lie about being attracted to someone, and Kuvira was certainly getting the job done by provoking Asami's feelings and lust even further.

"What are you saying, Kuvira?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the other woman.

"I'm saying that I have an architecture project to work on and maybe I'd like your help with it. Korra leaves for practice at four thirty so you can come by then," Kuvira answered, giving Asami a wink that wasn't anything but seductive before she grabbed her garbage and stood up to throw it away.

"What if I don't want to come?" Asami challenged.

"Is that even a question?" Kuvira returned before she turned and walked away.

And damn it, Asami knew Kuvira was right.

* * *

 

Asami wasn't expecting to run into Korra on her way to Kuvira's room. In fact, she wished she hadn't, because Korra definitely knew something was up.

"Oh, Asami…what are you doing here?" Korra asked.

"Just going to help Kuvira with her architecture project," she answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Ah… _riiiigghhtt_ ," Korra dragged out. She obviously wasn't convinced at all. "Have fun," she added with a wink before hurrying out the front door of her dorm building.

Asami was blushing furiously as she walked down the hallway to Kuvira's room, and she made sure the heat was gone from her face before she knocked on the door. Kuvira answered within the next few moments.

"Knew you would come," were Kuvira's first words of the evening as she let Asami into her room.

"Well I couldn't pass up on your generous offer. I mean, architecture is pretty exciting."

"I can't tell if that was sarcasm."

"No, I'm actually serious, Kuvira. What are you doing for it?"

"Make a blueprint for a house, but there has to be something unique about it," Kuvira answered. "My professor didn't specify _what_ had to be unique. He sort of left that creativity part up to us."

"Well that sounds cool. Do you have any ideas yet?"

"No. I figured you could brainstorm with me for a little bit."

"Of course."

They did brainstorm. For nearly an hour and a half. They eventually came up with the attributes of heated floors in sections of the bathrooms, bedrooms, and living room as well as sunken bath tubs so you could just step right into it. Certainly they were things that people had in their houses, they just weren't common things at all.

"Imagine how nice heated floors would be," Kuvira said, making a small grunt of approval. "Like, your feet would never be freezing in the winter."

Asami nodded as she pulled out some drafting paper for their blueprints. "It's actually more energy efficient than air heat. With air, you have to run the heat longer so it can circulate. But with floor heating, you just turn it on and there it is."

Kuvira sat down at her desk while Asami remained standing. She pulled out a pencil and began sketching the floor plan.

"We have certain dimensions we have to follow, and they aren't even that much. The house has to be no less than fifteen-hundred square feet. Other than that, we can arrange the rooms and whatever else however we want to," Kuvira said.

"And I'm assuming you've already thought of the floor plan?"

"Kind of. I sort of have one side of the house figured out. I don't know…I kind of wanted to make it a two story house, but not all the way."

"So then give it a sleek, modern look to it," Asami said, taking the pencil right out of Kuvira's hand and grabbing a sheet of notebook paper. She began to sketch her idea. "See…a more contemporary feel to it. Some larger windows for more natural light. Keep the living room open. The balcony for the second floor will overlook the living room."

"Yeah…that looks great. I can roll with that."

Asami laughed softly and shook her head, handing the pencil back to Kuvira.

"What?" Kuvira asked.

"Nothing…keep sketching."

Asami's eyes didn't leave Kuvira as she watched the other girl draw up the floor plan. She noticed the little things Kuvira did when she concentrated: she would clench her jaw every now and then before biting her lip, and when she focused on a fine detail, her tongue would just peek out of the corner of her mouth. It was nearly too adorable for Asami to handle.

She didn't even realize how long they had been there in silence with each other – just Asami watching Kuvira – until Kuvira set her pencil down and took her phone in her hands.

"Korra is staying with Opal and Bolin in their apartment tonight," Kuvira said, snapping Asami out of her daze.

Asami just nodded, glancing back to the blueprints for a moment.

"I was thinking about finishing it tonight," Kuvira mumbled, looking over her sketches. "I mean, I only have a couple more things to do and -,"

"How about you take a break?" Asami interrupted, her mood shifting quickly as she smirked, and she didn't give Kuvira time to respond as she straddled her on the chair. She nearly moaned when she felt Kuvira's hands on her hips. Wow, she was really craving this girl.

"I was hoping you would say that," Kuvira said.

Asami wasn't sure who kissed who first. Maybe they both leaned forward at the same time. But what she _was_ sure about was that she had never wanted anyone so badly before.

Kuvira broke the kiss after a few moments, already leaving Asami breathless and wanting more. She let Kuvira pull off her shirt, and she quickly moved her hair to the side, allowing Kuvira to unclasp her bra as well.

Kuvira just sat there for a moment, taking in the sight of Asami in front of her. From her toned stomach to the perfectly smooth skin of her breasts to the lust burning in her electric green eyes, Kuvira swore to herself she would worship every inch of Asami's body tonight.

"You are so beautiful," Kuvira whispered before she leaned forward again, trailing her lips lightly down Asami's neck. She wrapped one arm around Asami's waist, while her other hand moved slowly up Asami's side, tracing the curve of her breast softly. Asami let out a gasp at the touch, and she pushed herself even closer against Kuvira.

Asami ran her hands through Kuvira's hair, moaning louder than she had expected when she felt Kuvira bite softly at the base of her neck. The light burning of the bite was quickly replaced by Kuvira's cool tongue, the feeling of that now reminding Asami that she wanted Kuvira's tongue in her own mouth more than she did on her neck.

She pulled away just enough, both hands resting on either side of Kuvira's neck now, and she pulled Kuvira's lips to hers in a hard, passionate kiss.

Asami only pulled away when she felt the need for air, and even then she stayed close to Kuvira so she could feel the other woman's hot breath on her skin. She needed more…so much more from Kuvira.

"Take me to bed…" Asami whispered, pressing her bare chest against Kuvira's still clothed body.

Kuvira could only nod. She was completely transfixed by Asami. She let Asami remove a piece of her clothing every time their lips parted, and they were both completely naked by the time Asami's back hit the mattress.

* * *

 

Kuvira groaned the second she heard her alarm go off in the morning. The one thing she hated about it being early in the soccer season: morning practices. Waking up at six thirty in the morning wasn't too wonderful, but Kuvira was usually able to wake up by the time she got to breakfast. However, today didn't seem like it would be that way. She was up until nearly two in the morning with Asami.

Kuvira never thought someone could have more sex drive than Korra.

"Ugh…Kuvira…" Asami mumbled, pulling a pillow over her head to drown out the sound of the alarm, and Kuvira quickly turned it off.

"Sorry. I have practice at seven thirty."

"That sucks."

"Mm…especially because someone kept me up last night."

"You didn't have to."

"Oh no, I totally wanted to." Kuvira smirked a little as she pulled the pillow away from Asami and gave her a soft kiss.

"Ew, I look like shit. Why would you want to kiss me?" Asami said, playfully pushing Kuvira away.

"Shut up. You're perfect."

Asami whined out softly and buried her face into the crook of Kuvira's neck, trying to hide her blush. She was so happy right now. Sure, she would have liked to get a few more hours of sleep, but just being so close to Kuvira warmed her heart and made her feel as if she never wanted to leave Kuvira's side.

"You know…you can go back to sleep when I leave," Kuvira said softly, running her fingers through Asami's hair.

She didn't know why she was being so mushy and cute with Asami right now. It scared her, to say the least. She was never like this with anyone…not even Korra. In fact, she hadn't been this way in the morning ever since…

Kuvira pushed those thoughts away. They would just ruin her mood of bliss right now.

* * *

 

Asami definitely fell asleep the second Kuvira left for soccer practice, because she was startled awake again at nearly nine fifteen when Korra slammed her room door shut.

"Well, I'm assuming you and Kuvira had some fun last night," Korra said as she set her backpack down next to her desk. She paid no mind to the fact that Asami was still naked; she had seen the green eyed beauty's body many times before anyway when they were dating.

"Yeah…" Asami managed, keeping the blanket over herself as she looked back at Korra. "Did you have class?"

"No. I was studying with Opal last night for our business test in a couple days. I just know Kuvira has practice early today. I figured she wouldn't be in the mood for me giving the both of you shit for sleeping together after what…two days of knowing each other?"

Asami rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Korra, Kuvira fucks girls the same night she meets them sometimes. Was this really any different?"

"Uh, yeah…it kind of was."

Asami huffed out as she got out of bed, following the trail of her clothes back to Kuvira's desk, picking up each article of clothing along the way. She just slipped on her bra, shirt, and panties. She was too lazy to put on her jeans this early in the morning.

"Why do you say that?" she asked Korra, who had to snap out of her daze of staring at Asami's body, perfectly toned in all the right areas.

"Um…well, Kuvira never lets girls stay the night."

"Wait, really?"

"I'm serious. She doesn't want a one night stand to get personal by having someone stay with her."

"So then…why was I allowed to stay?"

Korra shrugged, but an optimistic smile came to her face. "I'm not too sure. Maybe there is a part of Kuvira that still wants to try at another relationship."

* * *

 

For the next two weeks Kuvira and Asami would spend time together every moment they had the chance. They would go out for lunch together, collaborate for random architecture projects Kuvira had, and then on quite a few occasions, of course, they would spend all night in bed together.

Kuvira wouldn't say they were being romantic or anything with each other…at least, nothing about their time in bed was romantic. Passionate and lust-filled, perhaps, but certainly not romantic.

However, Kuvira wasn't able to escape the teasing and speculations of Korra. And today, Korra was more intense and straightforward than usual.

"You like her," Korra said, flopping face first onto Kuvira's bed with a light huff of air.

"Well…I do like her. That's true."

"You know what I mean, Kuvira." Korra rolled onto her back and glanced over at Kuvira, who was at her desk, taking notes for her abnormal psychology class.

"Korra, don't…"

"No. I will, because you need to face it." Korra sat up and kept her eyes on Kuvira now, her gaze harder and more serious. "You like Asami, as in, you want to date her."

"That's ridiculous. Korra, you and I are still fucking. And when I'm not sleeping with you, I'm back fucking Asami," Kuvira answered, putting down her pen and turning in her chair, adjusting her glasses as she did.

"That has no significance right now. Our relationship doesn't affect what goes on with you and Asami."

"Are you kidding? It definitely does. You know we would have to stop whatever this is between us if I wanted to date Asami."

"So you've thought about it then?"

"What?"

"Dating Asami…you must have thought about it at some point." Korra kept her gaze steady. She had to control herself now. She knew Kuvira liked Asami already. And as much as it hurt Korra to see the woman she loved fall for someone else, she knew she couldn't force Kuvira to love her.

That would never happen. Kuvira was at one of her lowest points when Korra came into her life. Korra had seen Kuvira through it all, she had been there for her and provided Kuvira with comfort…Kuvira could never be _in_ love with Korra the way Korra was with her.

"I…I guess," Kuvira admitted. "I do like her. I just…I don't know."

"Honestly, there's nothing stopping you from giving it a try."

"Yeah but, I don't want to hurt her."

"How do you know if you will do that or not? You can't see into the future. Kuvira, I know what happened with Suyin hurt you beyond what I could understand. I can't imagine what it must have been like to go through that kind of heartbreak. But I'm here for you…Asami is here for you too. She likes you a lot, and I think we both know that at some point, it will turn into something more than just a friends with benefits things between you two."

Kuvira nodded a little, biting her lip as she thought. Yes, she really liked Asami. It was definitely way too early to say she might love her, but Kuvira had no doubt it could turn into that if they gave it a try.

"Yeah…you're right," Kuvira said softly. "I'll ask her out."

* * *

 

Kuvira didn't ask Asami out. In fact, it had been two weeks since she had told Korra she would. When it came down to it, Kuvira was just too nervous to get the question out. So, naturally, she just went back to Asami's dorm and had sex with her.

Not that either of them were complaining. Kuvira loved how she was able to dominate Asami, but she loved it even more when Asami was the one to take the lead on things every now and then. And Asami…she just loved being with Kuvira. She loved the feeling of Kuvira pressed against her. She loved having Kuvira's lips moving against her own. She loved feeling Kuvira inside her, making her gasp and moan in pleasure greater than any she had ever felt before.

Asami basically collapsed back onto the bed, her breathing heavy and ragged as she came down from yet another mind-blowing orgasm courtesy of Kuvira. Within the next moment though, Kuvira's lips were on hers, and the taste of her own arousal lingered on Kuvira's lips and tongue. She didn't mind at all. If anything, it was insanely kinky and only turned Asami on again. Although, she was nowhere near ready to go another round yet.

"Fuck…I don't think I've ever came that hard before," Asami whispered as she continued to steady her breathing.

Kuvira smirked and lay next to Asami on the bed, her finger lazily tracing small patterns across Asami's shoulder. "Oh please…I'm sure I can make you come harder next time."

Asami rolled her eyes and playfully swatted Kuvira's hands away, only to be gathered in Kuvira's arms the very next second.

"I think I would like that actually. I want to scream your name as loud as possible…make sure everyone knows who you're fucking," Asami mumbled against Kuvira's chest.

Kuvira let out a breathy laugh as she kissed the top of Asami's head. "You are insatiable."

"I think you made me this way."

"Hm…maybe. Or perhaps you've always been this way."

"Oh yeah? So then why am I like this with only you? What makes you so special?" Asami asked, looking back at Kuvira with a challenging grin.

"Because maybe…I've been the only person to fuck you the way you really want it." In response to Asami's raised eyebrow and teasing expression, Kuvira just laughed and continued. "Oh come on, Asami, we both know Korra was too gentle with you. Honestly, I'm surprised she was…that girl can really go at it when she wants to. I mean, you would not believe how much – hey, ow!"

Kuvira was cut off when Asami flicked her in the center of her forehead.

"I am _really_ not concerned with your sex life with Korra," Asami said, pressing her lips softly against the base of Kuvira's neck before pulling away again. "But yes…she always thought she would hurt me. She never really understood that's what I wanted."

"Wait…I thought you just - ,"

"Wanted it rough every now and then, yes," Asami finished, pushing some of Kuvira's hair out of her lover's face. She could have sworn she fell for Kuvira the moment her eyes met the deeper green eyes in front of her. She figured it was just the after-sex appeal of Kuvira: gruff but adorable. Certainly there were absolutely no feelings involved with this.

"But…?" Kuvira looked at Asami expectantly, waiting for the other woman to tell her what she already knew.

"But sometimes I want the pain, Kuvira."

"Why?"

Asami shrugged, her eyes glancing from Kuvira's eyes to her lips a few times. "I guess no real relationship is always perfect and loving. Sometimes there will be fights and someone will get hurt."

"Are you saying that's what you want with me? A real relationship?" Kuvira asked, and now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow at Asami.

"Honestly, I'm not too sure. You seem damaged enough by whatever happened in your past and I don't want to push you into anything you don't want to do. But my point is that – if you're okay with it – next time we…hook up, or whatever you want to call it, I'll tell you what I want, and you'll do it."

"That sounds…tempting," Kuvira said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "Meet me outside the weight room after my work outs tomorrow. We can go to my room; Korra is staying with Opal again…studying for yet another test."

Asami bit her lip, which only succeeded in making Kuvira even more aroused and ready to take Asami yet again. "I can certainly do that."

"Good…but for right now, I'm getting what I want."

"Oh? And what do you want, Kuvira?"

"Hm…" Kuvira hummed out in mock thought as she pushed Asami onto her back, pinning her lover's arms above her head. She pressed her knee lightly against the apex between Asami's legs, eliciting a sharp gasp from the woman below her.

"I think you know what I want," she whispered as she trailed her lips down Asami's neck, nipping lightly over the several hickeys already on Asami's skin.

Asami closed her eyes, tilting her head to give Kuvira more access, and she moaned the second she felt Kuvira's hand slip between her legs.

* * *

 

Kuvira woke up around nine o'clock the next morning, and she spent another thirty minutes just admiring Asami as she slept.

She thought about how lucky she was to have Asami come into her life now. She wasn't too sure what it was about Asami, but Kuvira knew she was happier around her. Her heart would flutter every time Asami would smile at her or whenever she made Asami laugh.

Kuvira was amazed at how important Asami was to her. Sure, they had only known each other for about a month now, and maybe their relationship was simply based around their attraction to each other and the amazing sex they always had, but Kuvira felt something constantly pulling her to Asami. It went beyond her attraction for the other woman. It was definitely more than that.

If Kuvira was brave enough to admit it, she might have thought at random points that she was –

"Morning," Asami mumbled, cutting Kuvira's thoughts short.

"Hey," Kuvira said.

Asami admired Kuvira's low, raspy morning voice, and it was something, she thought, she could definitely get used to.

"You're staring," Asami commented, running her fingers through Kuvira's thick, fluffy bangs.

"What can I say…you're just so beautiful."

That succeeded in getting a blush from Asami, who responded by pulling Kuvira down for a soft kiss. And in that moment, Kuvira had an idea.

"Hey, um…would you maybe uh, want to…um, go out tonight?" Kuvira asked, scratching the back of her neck as her eyes darted anywhere but Asami's own electric green eyes.

Asami couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her before she lightly brushed her lips across Kuvira's. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"I uh…I'm not really sure, honestly. I guess I just want to get to know you more."

Asami raised an eyebrow at that.

"Like, personally," Kuvira said.

"Personally? How personal are we talking here? I mean, I am lying in bed naked with you right now."

"You know what I mean…I want to know _you_. I already know you like architecture, science stuff, and learning new things. But, I want to know the little things. Those matter too."

"Alright, this is definitely you asking me on a date."

Kuvira rolled her eyes and huffed out. She knew she was. She just didn't want to admit it yet.

"So, maybe I am," she eventually mumbled. "What does it matter?"

"Uh…you told me the first time we slept together that you weren't into the dating thing," Asami said, turning to face Kuvira, her eyes studying the young woman lying next to her.

"I just…I don't know, Asami. I guess I want to figure it out. I'm not sure if I want anything…extremely serious, but maybe something casual wouldn't hurt."

"Well, we're pretty casual as friends with benefits right now. I don't see the problem with going out with you," Asami said back, giving Kuvira a soft smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah! You're my friend and…I want to get to know you more too. Like you said, the little things count too."

* * *

 

Kuvira ended up taking Asami to a casual Italian restaurant in the city. She had debated on whether or not to take Asami to a more high-end place, but decided against it as this wasn't supposed to be a "date." Besides, this restaurant was nice enough and their small booth gave them all the privacy they needed to talk freely and enjoy each other's company.

"I would have never guessed that you'd be into musical theatre," Asami said, taking a sip of her water.

"I get that a lot. It's hard to talk about it because a lot of people I know don't know much about it. The only one that could discuss it with me for hours on end was Huan, and I don't see him that often anymore."

"Well…I'm not an expert in theatre, but I've seen a few shows. I figured it would be stupid to waste the huge theatre district Republic City has," Asami said.

"Yeah, it's one of the biggest in the world! Which shows have you seen?"

"Wicked, Chicago, and On The Town," Asami answered. "I'd love to see more though, but I haven't had many chances given how busy school and rowing keeps me."

"I never knew you rowed crew," Kuvira said. "That's pretty sweet."

Asami nodded and gave Kuvira a soft smile. "It's fun. Sometimes the practices can be a bore though. But I like it. Um…anyway, which shows have you been able to see?"

"Oh, I don't even think I could list them off the top of my head. At least fifteen though, and I think that's underestimating."

Asami's jaw nearly dropped. "What…that's so many! How do you manage the time for that?"

"I usually go and spend a few nights in the theatre district over breaks. I end up seeing four shows in that time. Last year I saw six."

"What are your favorites?"

"Wicked, Kinky Boots, and Book of Mormon," Kuvira answered. "But…there are so many more that are just insanely good and iconic like Rent and A Chorus Line…so amazing."

"What makes them so amazing?" Asami asked, leaning forward a little, admiring the fact that Kuvira was an absolute dork and that she was probably falling in love with her every second she spent with her. Whether or not that was a good thing, Asami didn't care at this point.

"They dealt with certain topics an issues that just weren't talked about in their time, topics that were considered taboo or topic that just made people uncomfortable such as AIDS and LGBT people. The stories in them were so beautiful and emotional…groundbreaking musicals in all honesty."

"Wow…you're such a nerd about this. It's adorable," Asami said, and she held back a laugh when she saw the blush that filled Kuvira's cheeks.

"Um…thanks? I don't know…it's hard to find someone who will listen to me talk about that stuff. Korra tries, and it's not that she gets annoyed by it, she just doesn't understand it."

"Well, I'm here, and I'm always up for an education about musical theatre. I admire the talent that goes into it. Not just the actors and actresses, but the orchestra and set designers and everything else…it's amazing how it all comes together."

Kuvira nodded, a wide smile coming to her face now. "Yeah, it's amazing! Everyone involved dedicates so much time and effort, and it all pays off, which is the beautiful thing about it."

Asami listened for another fifteen minutes or so as Kuvira first told her all about the genius of Wicked, and then told her about Kinky Boots. It was a topic she wasn't too familiar with, and she didn't mind at all that she was able to learn about it from Kuvira. Plus, Asami loved how animated Kuvira was when she talked about theatre. She admired the way Kuvira's eyes lit up whenever she spoke about something particularly interesting about a certain musical. She admired how Kuvira as a whole just radiated happiness. She could tell Kuvira was passionate about theatre, and Asami wished Kuvira would never stop talking about it.

Asami couldn't help the somewhat dopey smile that came to her face as she continued to admire Kuvira.

She was certainly in love with her.

And Asami didn't mind at all.

* * *

 

"We should do this again," Asami said.

"Go out?" Kuvira raised an eyebrow and took Asami's hand in her own, and she couldn't hide her smile when she felt Asami's fingers lace with hers.

"Yeah…it was nice."

They went to Republic City's central park instead of heading straight back to campus. It was only nine, and they wanted to take full advantage of the clear, cool evening.

They stopped on a small bridge suspended over a thin stream running through the center of the park. They stood in a comfortable silence for a few moments, watching the koi fish swimming below in the stream. Until eventually, Kuvira broke the silence.

"Can this be a date?"

"I thought you weren't into that."

Kuvira shrugged and leaned on the railing of the bridge, facing Asami. "I don't know…maybe I'm willing to try again."

"What happened anyway?" Asami asked, keeping her voice soft.

"What do you mean?"

"Like…who hurt you or broke your heart so badly that it discouraged you from dating anyone through college?"

Kuvira looked down, biting her lip as she shifted slightly, not able to meet Asami's eyes now. "I, uh…it's really complicated."

"I'm not going to force you to tell me, Kuvira. I just…if I want to be in a relationship with you, I think I deserve to know about your past. At least, before we start getting more serious with each other, if that's what you want."

"I do. Asami, I want a relationship with you. I was thinking about it for the last couple weeks. At first I wasn't sure, but the more time I spent with you…I realized that I could get used to it. I want to be with you. I'm happy when I'm with you, Asami. I don't want to let that feeling slip away just because I wasn't brave enough to take that chance with you."

Asami smiled softly, and she took both of Kuvira's hands in her own, pulling the other woman closer to her. "I can tell you're uncomfortable with sharing whatever it is that's been hurting you. Just…forget I asked about it tonight and take me back to your room, okay?"

Kuvira nodded and gave Asami a slight smile of appreciation before closing the distance between them, lightly pressing her lips to Asami's.

* * *

 

It had been six months since Asami and Kuvira had started "dating." Even though Korra had told Kuvira so many times that they should just admit their feelings for each other already, neither woman would let themselves break down.

Asami didn't know why she couldn't tell Kuvira that she wanted something more. She wanted to be Kuvira's girlfriend. She wanted to be more serious with Kuvira. But she couldn't bring herself to ask Kuvira if that was okay. Asami saw how closed-off Kuvira would become whenever she brought up the idea of them making a serious relationship official. She didn't blame her, but she knew she would have to know who broke Kuvira's heart before anything could happen between them in the future.

Of course, that was kind of pointless to say at this point. They spent every free moment they had together. They spent nearly every night together. In fact, Korra had commented that they were a typical, mushy couple in love on a few occasions. That got Kuvira nervous.

Kuvira knew though. She knew that she had fallen for Asami. She just wasn't able to come clean about her feelings. She figured keeping up with this friends with benefit thing was the best course of action. She'd rather keep Asami in her life this way than risk losing her because she followed her heart again.

Of course, Kuvira knew that was a risk she would eventually have to take.

* * *

 

Kuvira hadn't been expecting Asami to be in her room when she got back from soccer practice, but she couldn't say she wasn't happy about it. Seeing Asami always brought a smile to her face.

"Hey Kuvira," Asami said once she saw her…girlfriend…walk through the door. She was trying to get used to that word. It had only been two months since they decided to put that title on each other.

"Hey…I'm assuming Korra let you in?"

"Yeah. She left for class a little while ago. Figured you'd want some company," Asami said with a playful wink.

Kuvira rolled her eyes and set her bag down before going over to Asami, giving her girlfriend a soft kiss on her lips. She yelped in surprise when Asami pulled her down onto the bed.

"Bleh…I'm all sweaty. Let me take a shower first," Kuvira mumbled, pushing herself off of Asami.

Asami pouted as she draped her arms over Kuvira's shoulders. "Fine. But only if I can join you."

"I don't think I even need to answer that."

Showering with Kuvira had turned out to be more intimate than Asami would have thought. She even wondered why they had never done this before. She figured their different schedules had something to do with it. Kuvira was usually gone in the morning because of her work outs, so Asami woke up alone after nearly every night Kuvira stayed with her.

But Asami loved every moment of this. She was so close to Kuvira. She wanted this more than anything else. Her heart never longed for someone this much before…not even when she was with Korra. Asami wanted a future with Kuvira.

And Asami thought her heart might explode when she felt Kuvira's back press against her chest. She didn't hesitate as she wrapped her arms around Kuvira's waist.

Both women were in perfect bliss right now, being so close to one another with the warm water drizzling over their skin. It was a moment they wished would never end.

"Kuvira…I love you," Asami whispered. It was something Asami had wanted to saw for a while now. She just wasn't sure how Kuvira would react to it. But she knew that if she didn't say it now then she might wait another two months to do it.

"Asami…"

"No, Kuvira…don't tell me I'm not sure of it. Don't tell me that I need more time to figure out my feelings. I know what I feel for you, Kuvira. I know that - ,"

"Asami, I fell in love with someone before…someone I should have never fallen in love with in the first place. And when she told me that we couldn't see each other anymore, told me that we couldn't be involved the way we were…I was heartbroken. But now I fell in love with you, and I'm so nervous and afraid that I'll screw everything up with you. I don't want to do that, Asami."

"But if you keep distancing yourself from a serious relationship, it will only hurt more," Asami said back, letting Kuvira turn around to face her. "It seems like you're still holding on to whatever previous relationship you had. You need to let that go."

"It's not that easy."

"Why? It's been a couple years. At least, that's what you told me."

"Yeah…that's true. It's just, I see her a lot."

"Just tell me, please."

"Asami, it's fucked up. The relationship I had with - ,"

"Kuvira, please…"

"I…her name is Suyin. She's older than me and…she's married and has a family and…she took me in after my parents died. I was a junior in high school. She gave me the affection and support I needed to keep going. I was lonely and I didn't know how to handle everything that had happened that year. I didn't know how to process my feelings.

"I knew it was wrong and I knew that we would never work out. She was clear about there being no feelings on her end. We kept going for over a year, and I acted like it was the same for me, like there were no feelings on my side either. But that wasn't true…gosh, I fell head over heels for her. I was so in love with her. And I came up with the bright idea to tell her, even though every time I touched her too gently or kissed her too softly she would remind me that there wasn't supposed to be anything romantic between us.

"It hurt so much, Asami. But I was so far in love with her that I didn't care that it broke my heart every time I was with her."

"Why didn't you stop it?" Asami asked, resting her hands on Kuvira's shoulders. "If you knew it was hurting you that much…"

"I don't know. I don't think I'll ever be able to wrap my mind around why I fell so hard for her. It was wrong on every level. I know I should have ended it once I realized my stronger feelings for her. But I just couldn't pull myself away."

Asami rested her forehead against Kuvira's for a small moment before she leaned forward, lightly pressing their lips together.

"Hey…" Asami said softly, pulling away a little bit. "I get that it's hard to let go of the first person you fell in love with, but you're here with me. This… _us_ …is the present, the now."

Kuvira nodded. She knew Asami was right. "I'm sorry I wouldn't open up to you about this sooner," Kuvira nearly whispered. "I knew I could trust you but I…I didn't know if your opinion of me would change after you knew."

Asami shook her head, and slight smile tugging at her lips. "Please…we all fall in love and sometimes we don't know exactly why. Love is love, and heartbreak is heartbreak. I can't judge you for that. Besides, I'm in love with you and I want to be with you. If I'm not able to accept your past then there's no future for us. But I know we can make a future together…"

Those statements almost frightened Kuvira. _The future_. Kuvira had never really thought about creating a future with someone. Even though she had fallen in love with Suyin, she knew having a future with the woman was impossible. But now, Kuvira had Asami, and she knew that this was something that could last. Kuvira wanted it to last more than anything.

* * *

 

"You really like her, huh?"

Kuvira glanced up from her textbook when she heard Korra's voice. She wasn't really expecting any questions, especially since they had both been studying for their final exams in silence for the last couple hours.

"Yeah, I do," Kuvira replied with a small nod of her head. "In fact…I think I would go as far to say that I love her."

Korra let a smile grace her lips. Even though she was still getting over her own heartbreak at watching Kuvira fall in love with someone else, she was still happy for her best friend. She knew that a relationship would never have worked with Kuvira, but that didn't stop Korra from falling in love with her. Still, Kuvira was happy with Asami, and that's really all Korra could have asked for.

"I'm glad," Korra said softly. "I mean, it's about time you settled down with someone."

Kuvira blushed a little. "Yeah, it's nice. I never thought I'd be able to open up my feelings to someone after Suyin, but there was just something about Asami that got to me, and I couldn't help how I felt for her."

"Can you stop being all mushy and romantic whenever you talk about her…it's so gross," Korra teased, a small grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Kuvira just rolled her eyes in response.

* * *

 

They had been dating for over a year now. If Kuvira was being completely honest with herself, she never thought it was going to last this long. It wasn't that she and Asami had stopped loving each other or anything. No…it was just those moments when Kuvira would let her past affect her…that's when things got a little rough between them. Kuvira would just shut down at random moments with the bizarre thought that Asami would somehow find a reason to no longer love her. Asami always told Kuvira any thoughts like that were arbitrary, but it was hard to convince Kuvira of that.

But they would recover quickly from those moments, and it was all because of Asami's persistence. She was never going to give up on Kuvira or the love they shared for each other. What they had together…it was special, and they both knew it. It was nice, Kuvira thought, to know Asami was hers. They were always there for each other, and Kuvira knew this was a relationship that would continue once they graduated. She only had eyes for Asami now, and there was no one she'd rather be in love with.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whoa…I actually posted another one-shot. So sorry for the delay with this! Last semester of high school got busy with final projects, exams, and now AP tests!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one…remember to leave any one-shot prompts you might have for me in your review and if you want me to do Korvira or Kuvirasami next; I'd love to hear your ideas!
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> \- A


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